rig vs. truck (Auflieger auf Englisch)

[Torsten]

Apparently a rig can be vehicle similar to a truck. It least that's what I deduce from this sentence:

He collected his thermos of Coffee, a cold biscuit with ham, and a 9-millimeter automatic pistol and carried it all to an eighteen-wheel rig with unmarked doors and a ten-thousand-gallon tanker as its payload. He started the engine and checked the gauges, tires, and fuel.

Now, what is the difference between an eighteen-wheel rig and a truck?

TOEIC short conversations: Two employees compare the features of two computers

[Jamie (K)]

"Rig" is slang for a tractor-trailer truck, usually called a semi-truck or just a semi in the US.

So there is no difference.

A pickup truck would not be called a rig, because it's all one piece and nothing gets rigged up.

[Torsten]

Hi Jamie,

Thanks a lot for your clarification. Now I know what a semi-truck or a rig is. I knew the term rig in connection with 'oil rig'.

TOEIC short conversations: An employee asks his co-worker to help him with the photo copier

[Jamie (K)]

"Rig" has a lot of other meanings. It basically means something that is hooked or hung together.

[Skrej]