slang A large police van—or any police vehicle—used to transport criminals or suspects to jail. Sometimes considered offensive due to possibly having originated in the US with the use of a slang term ("paddy") for an Irishman, due to either the prevalence of Irish police officers or frequent arrests of Irish immigrants. However, the origin is debated. Nearly two dozen looters were thrown into paddy wagons by police forces trying to quell the riots. After Jeff got drunk and started assaulting a bouncer, he ended his night in the back of a paddy wagon.