"Tumbrils" Pronounce,Meaning And Examples

"Tumbrils" Meaning

A tumbril was a type of carriage used in medieval Europe, especially in the 16th to 18th centuries, to transport goods or people, often in a peddler's style. It was a two-wheeled cart with a covered hood, typically drawn by horses or oxen.

In modern times, the term "tumbril" has gained another connotation, largely due to the famous tale of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution. In this context, a tumbril specifically refers to the horse-drawn cart used to carry people to their executions by guillotine. The image of the tumbril becomes a haunting symbol of death and the violence of that era.

Charles Dickens, in his novel "A Tale of Two Cities", uses the image of the tumbril to vividly describe the procession of prisoners to their executions, thus cementing the association of the cart with the sinister and often public display of capital punishment.

In summary, a tumbril originally referred to a type of medieval carriage used for transportation, but came to be synonymous with the harrowing and sorrowful context of the French Revolution.

"Tumbrils" Examples

Here are 5 usage examples for the word "tumbrils":

Example 1

A large NUMBER of rebel forces used tumbrils, or horse-drawn carriages, to transport troops in the battle against the ruling class.

Example 2

The driver struggled to keep the tumbrils moving uphill, but it was a slow and arduous journey with the heavy load.

Example 3

The historians pointed out that the image of prisoners being paraded in tumbrils was a somber reminder of the harsh treatment they received.

Example 4

By the 19th century, the use of tumbrils had largely fallen out of fashion, and modern horse-drawn carriages began to appear.

Example 5

Charlotte Brontë wrote vivid descriptions of the tumbrils in her classic novel as a symbol of both life and death.