ekka1 Anglo-Ind.
(ˈɛkə)
Also ecca, ecka.
[a. Hindi ekkā lit. unit, f. Skr. eka one.]
A small one-horsed vehicle used in India. Also attrib.
| 1811 F. B. Solvyns Les Hindous III. xxxi. pl. 4 Ekka..perhaps the simplest carriage that can be imagined, being nothing more than a chair covered with red cloth, and fixed upon an axle-tree between two small wheels. The Ekka is drawn by one horse. 1848 J. H. Stocqueler Oriental Interpreter, Ecka, a light pony gig on two wheels, with crimson cloth cushions on the top, on which the natives of India (who alone use them) sit cross-legged. 1887 Kipling Departm. Ditties (1888) 21 The Waler jumped an ekka just above the City Drain. 1888 ― Plain Tales from Hills iii. 21 The ekka-pony..had gone home. 1892 Pall Mall Gaz. 21 Dec. 3/2, I am going to take an ecka. 1895 B. M. Croker Village Tales 148 His wife had real silver tyres to the wheels of her ekka! 1899 Westm. Gaz. 25 Oct. 3/1 Ekka bells. 1922 19th Cent. Oct. 592 The bullock carts, the loaded camels, the eccas, the elephants, of typical India. 1966 E. Newby Slowly down Ganges 101 The only vehicle..was an ekka, a small pony cart with a canopy over it and side curtains. |