English

Noun

dooly ‎(plural doolies)

1. (archaic) A kind of litter suspended from men's shoulders, for carrying persons or things; a palanquin.
   • 1882, F. Marion Crawford, Mr. Isaacs:

     He said I should not be able to ride much farther, as the pass beyond Sultanpoor was utterly impracticable for horses; coolies, however, awaited me with a dooly, one of those low litters slung on a bamboo, in which you may travel swiftly and without effort, but to the destruction of the digestive organs.

   • (Can we date this quote?), W.H.G. Kingston, Our Soldiers:

     He also, in conjunction with Private John Ryan, rushed into the street under a heavy fire, and took Captain Arnold, 1st Madras Fusiliers, out of a dooly, and brought him into the house, that officer being again hit while they were so doing.

   • 1840, T.W.E. Holdsworth, Campaign of the Indus:

     I thought at first I was as good as done for; however, on regaining a little strength, I looked around, and seeing none of our men in the place, and thinking it more than probable, from what I knew of their character, that the very men whom I had been endeavouring to save might take it into their heads to give me the "coup de grace" now I was left alone, I made a desperate effort, got on my legs, and managed to hobble out, when I soon found some of our men, who supported me until a dooly could be brought, into which I was placed, and was soon on my way to the doctor.

References

• dooly in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913