trailer
trailer — noun
1. a wheeled container that connects to the back of a car or truck, designed to car
a wheeled container that connects to the back of a car or truck, designed to carry furniture, building supplies, or other heavy loads across town or between cities.
Marta loaded her furniture into the trailer before driving to the new house.
collocation: load + into + trailer
The construction crew filled the trailer with bricks and bags of cement.
passive pattern: filled with [materials]
The crew used a flatbed trailer to move steel pipes from the storage yard to the building site.
The moving truck had a trailer hitched behind it stacked with boxes.
collocation: hitch a trailer
- load a trailer
- hitch a trailer
- flatbed trailer
- utility trailer
- fill the trailer
Grammar Patterns
trailer + for + noun phrase
Usage Note
When the specific purpose matters, add a modifier: 'utility trailer' for small general loads, 'horse trailer' for animals, or 'flatbed trailer' for oversized items.
Common Mistakes
2. the separate cargo container behind a large truck's cab that can be disconnected
the separate cargo container behind a large truck's cab that can be disconnected for loading and unloading freight over long distances.
The delivery driver opened the back of the trailer to unload the packages.
Sade climbed into the trailer and checked that the wooden crates of electronics were stacked safely against the walls.
movement verb: climbed into the trailer
A bright yellow sticker on the side of the trailer warned that the electronic equipment inside was fragile.
passive: was marked with [warning]
The warehouse workers sealed the trailer doors after loading the office furniture for the overnight delivery.
collocation: seal the trailer doors
- open the trailer
- the back of the trailer
- trailer doors
- load the trailer
- seal the trailer
- container
a metal box for shipping goods that can be lifted on and off ships and trains; not attached to a cab
Grammar Patterns
the trailer of + noun phrase
Usage Note
In this sense 'trailer' refers only to the cargo box, not the whole truck. The cab that contains the driver is called the 'tractor' or 'cab.'
Common Mistakes
3. a wheeled living space with beds and a kitchen, designed to be pulled behind a v
a wheeled living space with beds and a kitchen, designed to be pulled behind a vehicle and used for holidays, camping trips, or as a temporary home.
The Huang family spent two weeks in a trailer by the beach last summer.
collocation: in a trailer (location)
Élise cooked dinner in the small but tidy kitchen of the rented trailer.
Their trailer has fold-down beds, a tiny bathroom, and a gas stove.
describing features: has [beds, bathroom, stove]
After retiring in Chicago, Yuna and her husband chose to live in a trailer and travel across the country.
verb pattern: choose to live in a trailer
- rent a trailer
- trailer park
- live in a trailer
- travel trailer
- camping trailer
Grammar Patterns
live in a trailer
trailer + park
Usage Note
In British English this is usually called a 'caravan.' In US English a permanently parked mobile home is called a 'manufactured home.'
Common Mistakes
4. a short video composed of selected scenes from an upcoming film, TV show, or vid
a short video composed of selected scenes from an upcoming film, TV show, or video game, released before the full work to attract an audience and build excitement.
The trailer for the new fantasy film made everyone in the cinema excited.
collocation: trailer for [film]
Nia watched the trailer online three times before the movie came out.
The trailer for the mystery film showed just enough clues to keep viewers curious without revealing the killer's identity.
contrast pattern: shows enough... without spoiling
The two-minute trailer revealed the cast and the main setting of the film.
collocation: reveal the cast / setting
Fans of the fantasy series paused the trailer repeatedly to search for hidden clues about the new characters and settings.
idiomatic phrase: frame by frame
- trailer for
- movie trailer
- watch a trailer
- teaser trailer
- release a trailer
Grammar Patterns
trailer for + noun phrase
trailer of + noun phrase
Usage Note
A 'teaser' is a very short trailer (often 30–60 seconds) that reveals almost nothing about the plot, while a full 'trailer' is longer (2–3 minutes) and shows key story moments.
Common Mistakes
trailer — verb
1. to spend time living or taking trips inside a mobile home, either staying in one
to spend time living or taking trips inside a mobile home, either staying in one place or moving between locations.
The Okonkwo family trailered across the country for six months in their RV.
movement pattern: trailer across [region]
Next summer, Amira and her husband plan to trailer around the national parks of the southwestern United States.
The Nguyen family trailered along the coast, stopping at a different beach every week.
pattern: trailer along [route]
After selling their Portland house, Talia and Caleb now trailer full-time and explore a different state each month.
adverb pattern: trailer full-time
- trailer across
- trailer around
- trailer full-time
- caravan
used as a verb in British English, with the same meaning
Grammar Patterns
trailer + adverb phrase of place
2. describing how easily or safely a boat, vehicle, or similar object can be pulled
describing how easily or safely a boat, vehicle, or similar object can be pulled behind another vehicle on a trailer.
Because of its lightweight fibreglass hull, the small fishing boat trailers easily behind a regular family car.
adverb pattern: trailers easily
Because of its lightweight body, this camper van trailers behind a regular car without needing a special heavy licence.
pattern: trailers without [requirement]
During the racing season, the team's competition motorcycle trailers on a custom aluminium frame behind their support van.
preposition pattern: trailers on [frame]
With the right hitch, a pair of jet skis trailers well behind a mid-sized SUV for trips to the lake.
- trailer easily
- trailer well
- trailer behind
Grammar Patterns
noun + trailers + adverb
Usage Note
This sense is usually accompanied by an adverb such as 'easily,' 'well,' or 'safely' that describes how conveniently the object can be towed.
3. to move a large object such as a vehicle, boat, or piece of equipment by loading
to move a large object such as a vehicle, boat, or piece of equipment by loading it onto a trailer and pulling it with another vehicle.
Vikram trailered his boat to the lake for the weekend fishing trip.
pattern: trailer [object] to [place]
To begin the new road project, the construction company will trailer the bulldozer and excavator to the site next week.
future pattern: will trailer [object]
Feng trailered the broken car to the repair garage outside the town.
The rancher trailered his prize sheep to the county fair in a container with air holes and fresh straw.
object type: trailer livestock
- trailer a boat
- trailer equipment
- trailer to
Grammar Patterns
trailer + noun phrase + to + place
Usage Note
The object is typically a wheeled item (boat, car, motorcycle) or heavy equipment. Unlike 'tow,' which can mean pulling with a rope or chain, 'trailer' implies the item is carried on a trailer platform.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/4
While all four words refer to short video content from a film or show, they differ in length and purpose. A 'trailer' (2–3 minutes) gives a structured overview of the story, characters, and key scenes to persuade audiences to watch the full work. A 'preview' is a broader term that can include trailers but also refers to advance screenings or critic reviews. A 'teaser' is a much shorter clip (30–60 seconds) that reveals very little plot and aims to create curiosity and buzz. A 'clip' is simply any short excerpt from a film — it may or may not be intended as promotion. For example, a studio releases a teaser three months before the premiere, a full trailer one month before, and the actors share a funny clip on social media on opening day.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'trailer' comes from the verb 'trail,' which entered English from Old French 'trailler' (to tow or drag), combined with the agent suffix '-er.' Originally it referred to anything that trails behind, but by the early 20th century it specifically meant a towed vehicle. The film-preview sense emerged in the 1940s, named because these short advertisements originally played at the end (the 'trail') of a movie screening.