char-à-banc

or char·a·banc

[ shar-uh-bang, -bangk; French sha-ra-bahn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, British.

, plural char-à-bancs [-bangz, -bangks, sh, a, -, r, a, -, bahn].

a large bus used on sightseeing tours, especially one with open sides and no center aisle.

1810–20; back formation from French char-à-bancs literally, car with benches, the -s being taken as plural ending of word as a whole

Magdaléna came down to the verandah a few moments before the char-à-banc drove up.

He felt genuinely sorry for her, but his only part was to get out and hand these radiant visions into the char-à-banc.

A heavy char-à-banc rolled by, and the words of Tiny and Ila came distinctly to the two in hiding.

Some people, therefore, describe a char à banc as a sofa placed endwise on wheels.

The char à banc stopped before the door of the hotel; and the coachman, getting down from his seat in front, opened the door.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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