English

Noun

meat wagon ‎(plural meat wagons)

1. (dated) A vehicle used for the transportation of meat, usually refrigerated and traditionally of a non-motorized type pulled by horses.
   • 1907, "Non-Union Meat Drivers Attacked—Meat Wagon Burned," New York Times, 30 Aug., p. 2:

     The firing of a truck load of meat and two cases of assault enlived the strike of the meat wagon drivers yesterday.

2. (slang) An ambulance.
   • 2003, Ed Masley,"Cynics' Spain tour ends with injury to lead singer," post-gazette.com (Pittsburgh, US), 27 Jan. (retrieved 25 July 2008):

     So they had to take me from there in an ambulance. . . . I remember my dad and uncle used to call them meat wagons.

3. (slang) A police van for transporting prisoners; a paddy wagon.
   • 2007, M. Chris Fabricant, "Runnin' Scared Rousting the Cops," Village Voice, 30 Oct. (retrieved 25 July 2008):

     He spent the next four hours in the back of the sweltering NYPD meat wagon as police rounded up other young men.

4. (slang) A vehicle for transporting dead bodies; a hearse.
   • 2000, Stephen Hunter, "Varicose Vain" (film review of The Crew), Washington Post, 25 Aug., p. C01:

     The old man wandered away from his retirement home, dropped dead on the beach and was picked up by the meat wagon and sent to the morgue.

References

• meat wagon at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• gatewoman