14 November 2015

pillion

[pil-yuh n]

noun

1. a pad or cushion attached behind a saddle, especially as a seat for a woman.
2. a pad, cushion, saddle, or the like, used as a passenger seat on a bicycle, motor scooter, etc.
3. a passenger’s saddle or seat behind the driver’s seat on a motorcycle.

Origin of pillion

Scots Gaelic, Irish, Latin

1495-15051495-1505; < Scots Gaelic pillinn or Irish pillín, diminutive of peall skin, rug blanket, MIr pell < Latin pellis skin

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for pillion

Historical Examples

There I sat sideways on a cloth, like a lady of old time on a pillion.
The Flight of the Shadow
George MacDonald

Amphillis sat on the pillion, and meditated on her information as they journeyed on.
The White Lady of Hazelwood
Emily Sarah Holt

Putting on these disguises, Harry mounted his horse, with Jacob seated behind him on a pillion, while Mike rode by his side.
Friends, though divided
G. A. Henty

Anagram

loin lip
ion pill

Today’s quote

A faith that cannot survive collision with the truth is not worth many regrets.

– Arthur C. Clarke

On this day

14 November 1868 – birth of Steele Rudd, Australian author, (pen-name for Arthur Hoey Davis). Wrote ‘On Our Selection‘, which introduced Australia to ‘Dad and Dave’. Died 11 October 1935.

14 November 1942 – birth of Robert G. Barrett, Australian author of books such as ‘Davo’s Little Something’ and the Les Norton series which included, ‘High Noon in Nimbin’, ‘The Tesla Legacy’, ‘Crime Scene Cessnock’, ‘Rosa-Marie’s Baby’, ‘Guns n Rosé’. Barrett sold over 1,000,000 books in Australia. Died 20 September 2012.

14 November 2012 – Total solar eclipse visible from Cairns, North Queensland, Australia. Other areas saw a partial eclipse. The last total eclipse for Cairns was in 710AD, with the next one not expected for another 225 years.