noun
- Plural of dhooly; a light, portable bed or stretcher used in India, typically carried by bearers.
Usage: chiefly historical; Indian English; also spelled dhooli or dhuli
Examples
- The colonial official traveled through the city in one of several dhoolies carried by local bearers.
- Dhoolies were commonly used in 19th-century India to transport the sick and elderly.
- The servants prepared the dhoolies for the journey across the mountainous terrain.
- Historical accounts describe dhoolies as simple but effective means of transportation in colonial times.