Dragline

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈdɹæɡlaɪn/

Definitions

1. A heavy construction machine featuring a large crane and bucket used for digging and moving earth ; a strong rope or cable employed to pull or drag objects
2. An earth-moving equipment with a wide crane arm and bucket for excavations ; a durable cord or wire utilized to haul or drag items
3. A mechanical device with a boom and scoop designed for large-scale digging tasks ; a rope or cable specifically intended for pulling or dragging loads

Etymology: A dragline is a large excavating machine, and its name describes how it works. The "drag" half refers to the action: the machine casts a heavy bucket out on a long cable, lets it fall to the ground, and then hauls it back toward itself, scraping up earth as it comes. The "line" half is the cable (the rope or chain that does the pulling), so the name is simply a description of the mechanism, combining the two parts into one compound noun. Because the bucket is pulled toward the machine rather than dug downward by a boom-mounted arm, a dragline can work at great reach, which is why it has been used for stripping overburden from mines and for moving large volumes of soil in open-cut operations.

Synonyms: cable, line, rope, sling, tether