paddy wagon

noun

pad·​dy wagon ˈpa-dē- How to pronounce paddy wagon (audio)
: an enclosed motortruck used by police to carry prisoners

called also Black Maria, patrol wagon

Examples of paddy wagon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web They were called out of the ranks, handcuffed, and thrown into a paddy wagon in front of their unit, all shown on a video posted on the Telegram messaging app. Neil MacFarquhar, BostonGlobe.com, 1 May 2023 They were called out of the ranks, handcuffed and thrown into a paddy wagon in front of their unit, all shown on a video posted on the Telegram messaging app. Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2023 And then we would be thrown in the paddy wagons, and sometimes we were stacked in there like sardines in a can. Jeremy Gray | , al, 5 Apr. 2023 An officer called for a paddy wagon and attempted to restrain Johnson. Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Mar. 2022 The police tracked him down and forced him into a paddy wagon with Chestnut and Watkins. Jennifer Gonnerman, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021 Zach Turner, 6, an Arlington Heights resident who checked out the paddy wagon and discovered there was room for all his friends. Elizabeth Owens-Schiele, chicagotribune.com, 21 Oct. 2021 Another white student was thrown into a paddy wagon for walking down the street with a female student from a local black college. Lea Lane, Forbes, 17 June 2021 Hamdeed was placed in a paddy wagon, taken to jail and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. al, 28 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paddy wagon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably from Paddy

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paddy wagon was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near paddy wagon

Cite this Entry

“Paddy wagon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paddy%20wagon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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