Origin and history of truck
truck(n.1)
[vehicle] 1610s, originally "small solid wheel or roller" (especially one on which the carriages of a ship's guns were mounted), said to be probably from Latin trochus "iron hoop," from Greek trokhos "wheel," from trekhein "to run" (see truckle (n.)).
The sense was extended to "cart for carrying heavy loads" (1774), especially strong and heavy two- and four-wheeled vehicles with a low body; then in American English to "motor vehicle for carrying heavy loads" (1902), a shortened form of motor truck in this sense, which is attested by 1901.
There have also been lost to the enemy 6,200 guns, 2,550 tanks and 70,000 trucks, which is the American name for lorries, and which, I understand, has been adopted by the combined staffs in North-West Africa in exchange for the use of the word petrol in place of gasolene. [Winston Churchill, address to joint session of U.S. Congress, May 19, 1943]
truck(v.1)
"to exchange, barter, carry on trade," c. 1200, truken, from Old North French troquer (Old French trochier. troquier) "to barter, exchange" and directly from Medieval Latin trocare "barter," a word of unknown origin. Compare truck (n.2).
In English the word is rare before 16c. The sense of "have dealings with, bargain" as for a commodity is attested by 1610s. Related: Trucked; trucking.
truck(v.2)
"send or convey on a truck," 1809, from truck (n.1).
Of a vehicle generally, "to proceed," by 1925. In reference to persons, by 1938. The slang meaning "dance, move in a cool way," is attested by 1935, from popular dance of that name in U.S. (also truckin'), which was said to have been introduced at the Cotton Club in 1933. Related: Trucked; trucking. The R. Crumb "Keep on Truckin' " illustration was popular 1972.
truck(n.2)
1550s, "act or practice of barter, trading by exchange," from French troque, from troquer (see truck (v.1); there is an Anglo-French truke from mid-14c.). The colloquial sense of "dealings, intercourse, communication" (often in the negative) is attested from 1620s.
In 19c. American English the notion of "exchange of commodities, barter" led to "commodities for barter and exchange." "Truck at first meant market-garden produce; then it came to mean stuff in general, including 'doctor-stuff.' SPUN TRUCK is knitting work" [Thornton, "American Glossary," 1912].
The sense of "vegetables raised for market" is from 1784, preserved in truck farm (1866), one devoted to market gardening. The 19c. English truck system was "practice of paying the wages of workers in goods instead of money."
