thill (thil)

[Also dial. fill; = MLG. LG. dele , a board, plank, floor, etc.: see deal2 , the same word received through the D.] 1. A shaft (one of a pair) of a cart, gig, or other carriage. The thills extend from the body of the carriage, one on each side of the horse. See cut under sleigh . And bakward beth they thilles made full sure, As forwarde hath a drey, and in that ende An meke oxe that wol drawe & stonde & wende Wel yoked be, and forwarde make it fare. Palladius , Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 159. 2. In coal-mining: (a) The surface upon the tram runs. (b) The under-clay. See under clay. [Prov. Eng.] thill-coupling (thil'kup"ling), n. A device for fastening ng the shafts of a vehicle to the front axle. E. H. Knight. thiller (thil'er), n. [Also dial. filler; Five great wains, drawn with five-and-thirty strong cart-horses, which was six for every one besides the thiller. Urquhart, tr. of Rabelais, ii. 2.