truckle n : a low bed to be slid under a higher bed [syn: trundle bed, trundle, truckle bed]

1 yield to out of weakness

2 try to gain favor by cringing or flattering; "He is always kowtowing to his boss" [syn: fawn, toady, bootlick, kowtow, kotow, suck up]

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ʌkəl

Etymology

From the kindred Latin trochlea 'a block, sheaf containing one or more pulleys' or diminutive of truck 'wheel'; The verb's sense is from truckle in truckle bed on which the pupil slept, because it was rolled on casters into a lower position under the master's larger bed.

Noun

1. a small wheel; a caster or pulley

Verb

1. to act in a submissive manner; to fawn, submit to a superior

Derived terms

• truckle bed
• truckler

References

Trundle beds (or truckle beds) are usually considered a pair of beds, one slightly smaller than a twin bed that is on rollers or casters so that it may be put beneath the upper twin bed for storage. Trundle beds allow for two separate beds to be available when necessary, but do not require the space constantly. It is a space-saving idea. The lower bed on some trundle beds can "pop-up" to be the same height as the bed they are stored beneath, creating a larger bed that may be used for guests. Often used as daybeds, trundle beds are less common than bunkbeds for children. Due to storing one bed beneath the other, neither bed usually has a box-spring. When not used for sleeping, the lower bed, with mattress removed, can be used as a general storage drawer.

See also

• Bunk bed
• Murphy bed

apple-polish, bootlick, bow, brown-nose, butter up, cower, crawl, cringe, defer, fall all over, fawn upon, follow, genuflect, grovel, knuckle down, knuckle under, kowtow, quail, salaam, scrape, submit, succumb, suck up to, tag, tail, toady, trail, yield