n. (pl. -eys) 1 esp. Brit. a table, stand, or basket on wheels or castors for serving food, transporting luggage or shopping, gathering purchases in a supermarket, etc. 2 esp. Brit. a low truck running on rails. 3 (in full trolley-wheel) a wheel attached to a pole etc. used for collecting current from an overhead electric wire to drive a vehicle. 4 a US = trolley-car. b Brit. = trolley bus. trolley bus Brit. an electric bus running on the road and using a trolley-wheel. trolley-car US an electric tram using a trolley-wheel.
[ of dial. orig., perh. f. TROLL(2) ]