Meaning & Definition of word "Hearse"
to
Hearse
/hɜːrs/
noun:
- 1. A vehicle used for transporting the body of a deceased person, typically to a funeral service or burial.
- Example: The hearse arrived at the church just before the service began.
- 2. A large, ornate, usually black automobile or horse-drawn carriage designed to carry a coffin.
- Example: The family chose a classic vintage hearse for the funeral procession.
- 3. In historical contexts, a framework for holding a coffin at a funeral.
- Example: In the old days, a hearse might have been drawn by horses to convey the deceased to their final resting place.
Etymology
Late Middle English, from the Old French 'herse', originally referring to a framework for covering a grave.
Common Phrases and Expressions
hearse and horses:
Refers to the traditional mode of funeral transport.
hearse driver:
The person who drives the hearse, usually a funeral director.
in the hearse:
Colloquial phrase referring to being deceased.
Related Words
funeral:
A ceremony for honoring and remembering a deceased person.
coffin:
A container for a dead body.
burial:
The act of placing a deceased person in a grave.
Slang Meanings of hearse
Meaning: A term for a vehicle used in a funeral procession, often used humorously.
Example Sentence: We joked that my old car was a hearse because of how it looked.
Meaning: Referring to a person's death, in a darkly humorous context.
Example Sentence: After he fell off the stage, someone joked that they should call for the hearse.