Language: en
Meaning: (road transport)Atypeoftrailerhitch, whichconsistsof ahorseshoe-shapedplateon amultidirectionalpivot, with alockingpintocouplewith thekingpinof atrucktrailer.1919August, “Connecting the Trailer in Record Time”, inWaldemar Kaempffert, editor,The Popular Science Monthly, volume95, number 2, New York, N.Y.:Modern Publishing Company,[…],→OCLC,page28, column 1:In most forms of semi-trailers a great deal of time is wasted in connecting the trailer to the tractor or pulling vehicle. Most of the connecting gears are some form offifth wheel, consisting of two horizontal circular bands of iron, one fitting on top of the other, with grease between and with a bolt or king-pin dropped through holes in the hubs or center bosses of both parts of thefifth wheel.1934August 25, “M.D.T.[Merchants Despatch Transportation Company]Develops Trailer Tank for Milk Service”, in Samuel O. Dunn, editor,Railway Age, volume97, number 8, Philadelphia, Pa.:Simmons-Boardman Publishing,→ISSN,→OCLC,page235, column 2:The semi-trailers are equipped with hydraulic brakes which operate through the king pin of thefifth wheel. The booster-controlledfifth wheelgives full and complete cab control of all braking and coupling operations.1994January, “Atmospheric Hazards – Oxygen Deficient Air[FACE 92-17 Fracturing Tank, 2 Fatalities]”, inWorker Deaths in Confined Spaces: A Summary of NIOSH Surveillance and Investigative Findings(DHHS (NIOSH);no. 94-103), Cincinnati, Oh.:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Public Health Service,U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,→OCLC,page114:From the blow-back tank, the fluid is piped into a larger tank commonly known as a fracturing (frac) tank or wheely tank. This is a large, 21,000-gallon tank mounted on wheels and provided with afifth wheelfor towing from jobsite to jobsite by a semi-tractor.In full,fifth-wheel trailer: a largecaravanortraveltrailer that isconnectedto apickup truckfortowingby a hitch similar to the one described insense 1locatedin thecenterof the truck'sbed.1997, Kim Baker, Sunny Baker, “Towing, Tow Vehicles, and Towed Vehicles”, inThe RVer’s Bible: Everything You Need to Know about Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Your RV(A Fireside Book), New York, N.Y.:Simon & Schuster,→ISBN, part II (The Mechanical Side of RVing),page182:Fifth-wheelhitching is a simple affair compared to trailer coupling. Choose a quality hitch and don't overburden an inadequate pickup truck with a bigfifth wheeland you're almost in business.2000, Janet Rosenstock, Dennis Adair, “About the Author”, inThe Fire, the Sword and the Devil, Lincoln, Neb.: toExcel,iUniverse,→ISBN,page382:Janet [Rosenstock] and Dennis [Adair] are avid travelers who venture to Europe now and again, and as full-time RVers travel through the United States and Canada. Look for them on the open road; theirfifth wheelbears the sign "Read a Joyce Carlow lately?"; (road transport,historical)Ahorizontalwheelorsegmentof a wheel above thefrontaxleand beneath thebodyof acarriage,forminganextendedsupporttopreventit fromoverturning.1873April 1, H. F. Porter, “The Relative Merits of Full and Half Fifth-wheels”, inThe Hub, volume XV, number 1, New York, N.Y.: Hub Publishing,→OCLC,page10, column 1:Fullfifth-wheelshave become quite frequent of late, and it may not be out of place to make a few remarks on their merits as compared with halffifth-wheels. With the exception of heavy coaches and rockaways, nearly all vehicles were until lately made with halffifth-wheels; but at present we find nearly all the different kinds of work, such as landaus, clarences, coaches, landaulets, T-carts, and coupés, made with fullfifth-wheels.1875, “The Proper Care of Carriages”, inThe Coach-makers’ Illustrated Hand-book,[…], 2nd edition, Philadelphia, Pa.: I[saac]D[elaney]Ware,[…],→OCLC, part V (Miscellaneous),page350:For greasing the axles andfifth wheel, use castor-oil. It is not necessary to put on a great deal. [...] Thefifth wheelshould be looked after, and not be allowed to become entirely dry.1912February 7, “How to Save the Most Money on a Spreader[advertisement]”, inThe Breeder’s Gazette, volume LXI, number 6, Chicago, Ill.: Sanders Publishing Company,→OCLC,page367, columns2–3:The Great Western has a big 15-inch indestructible malleablefifth wheelthat weighs 40 pounds. This is attached with malleable braces to two big, heavy, solid oak bolsters. It is arranged so that if one wheel drops into a hole or rut, there's no strain or binding on the frame. The Great Western malleablefifth wheeland heavy oak bolsters are set back two feet under the box so the load is evenly balanced on all four wheels.; (idiomatic,informal)Anythingsuperfluousorunnecessary.Synonyms:spare tool,third wheelI felt like afifth wheelwhen both of them started giggling and making out during dinner.[1818December, “A Grammar of the English Language, in a Series of Letters.[…]By W[illia]m Cobbett. New York, 1818. 1 vol. 12mo. pp. 184. 75 cts.[book review]”, in Oliver Oldschool [pseudonym;John Elihu Hall], editor,The Port Folio, volume VI, number VI (4th series), Philadelphia, Pa.: Published by Harrison Hall,[…]; London: John Souter,[…],→OCLC,pages464–465:A subjunctive mode should no more exist in the English grammar, than afifth wheelbe given to a wagon.][1839,[James Ewell Heath],Whigs and Democrats; or Love of No Politics. A Comedy in Three Acts, Richmond, Va.: T[homas]W. White,→OCLC, act I, scene i,page12:Why I'm of no more use in my own house, than afifth wheelwould be to a wagon.][1902August 21, Henry James, chapter XVII, inThe Wings of the Dove, volume II, New York, N.Y.:Charles Scribner’s Sons,→OCLC, book sixth,page 6:Compressed and concentrated, confined to a single sharp pang or two, but none the less in wait for him there on the Euston platform and lifting its head as that of a snake in the garden, was the disconcerting sense that "respect," in their game, seemed somehow—he scarce knew what to call it—afifth wheelto the coach.]1914,John H[ill] Brinton, “After Shiloh with Halleck”, inPersonal Memoirs of John H. Brinton: Major and Surgeon U.S.V. 1861–1865, New York, N.Y.: The Neale Publishing Company,→OCLC,page162:He said his name was Sheridan, Captain Sheridan, and that he was a sort of headquarters quartermaster, to look after the staff comforts. He did not seem to have a very exalted opinion of his duties, rather regarding himself as afifth wheel.1935February 23,Viña Delmar, “Wild as a Hawk”, inFulton Oursler, editor,Liberty, volume12, number 8, New York, N.Y.: Liberty Publishing,→OCLC, part 2 (A Kiss, with Astonishment),page30, column 2:After the first minute of conversation with her I stopped feeling like afifth wheel. We got on fine together. Of course I don't know whether I was afifth wheelor not. There was no way I could discover just what the line-up was.1971, Charles C. Denova, “Establishing Training Activities”, inEstablishing a Training Function: A Guide for Management, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Educational Technology Publications,→ISBN,page17:The most common excuse is that they [line managers] do not have enough time to train every employee and perform their other supervisory duties. In an environment such as this, a new hire often feels like afifth wheeland begins to develop frustration and fear.2015, Kate James, chapter 13, inThe Truth about Hope(Harlequin Heartwarming), Don Mills, Ont.:Harlequin Enterprises,→ISBN,page192:Hope suddenly felt like afifth wheel. She was happy for Noah and Gillian, but seeing them together just made her feel lonelier.
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