noun
charabanc
Charabanc (noun) means (old use) An open-sided bus, first pulled by horses and later powered by an engine.
noun
1
(old use) An open-sided bus, first pulled by horses and later powered by an engine.
2
(British, old-fashioned) A bus hired by a group for a day trip, now usually called a coach.
"Mum had worked there as a teenager and once recalled her duty of having to meet the charabancs that brought the well-heeled to the baths from Droitwich station before the war."
— , Stop & Examine (2023)
3
(informal) A vehicle that is slow, too crowded, or otherwise unpleasant to travel in.
4
(figurative) A large, complicated undertaking that involves many people or parts.
"Nevertheless, I felt responsible. I'd started the whole charabanc. It was my band."
— Alan Longmuir, Martin Knight (2018)
"Schuman's European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, which set the whole charabanc rolling, operated in the interests of producers."
— Dennis Skinner, Kevin Maguire (2014)
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Etymology
Borrowed from French char-à-bancs (literally “carriage with benches”).
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of charabanc?
"charabanc" (noun) means (old use) An open-sided bus, first pulled by horses and later powered by an engine.
What is another word for charabanc?
Other words for "charabanc" include bus, omnibus, coach, motorbus, jitney, autobus.
What are the different meanings of charabanc?
"charabanc" has 3 main meanings: 1. (old use) An open-sided bus, first pulled by horses and later powered by an engine; 2. (British, old-fashioned) A bus hired by a group for a day trip, now usually called a coach; 3. (informal) A vehicle that is slow, too crowded, or otherwise unpleasant to travel in.
