noun, phrase General Slang

paddy wagon

· noun, phrase · police

A police van for hauling arrestees.

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Definitions

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The police van that scoops up the cuffed and drives them to the station. Name's grim — 'Paddy' was a slur for Irish people, and the term comes from either Irish-American cops driving them or Irish immigrants filling the back. Still in everyday US use, history attached.

“By midnight there were six of them in the back of the paddy wagon.”
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paddy wagon In A Sentence

By midnight there were six of them in the back of the paddy wagon.

Origin & Usage

Late 19th-century US, from 'Paddy' (slur for Irish) — either referring to Irish-American police officers or Irish arrestees in 1800s American cities.

Variants paddywagon

People Also Ask

What does paddy wagon mean?

It's a police van used for hauling away arrestees.

How do you use paddy wagon in a sentence?

"They loaded everyone into the paddy wagon after the raid."

Is paddy wagon offensive?

The term is very common and widely used, though some consider 'paddy' loaded because of its historic association with Irish people.

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