char-à-banc

American  

[shar-uh-bang, -bangk, sha-ra-bahn] / ˈʃær əˌbæŋ, -ˌbæŋk, ʃa raˈbɑ̃ /

Or charabanc

noun

British.

• char-à-bancs
  plural

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• char-à-bancs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of char-à-banc

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

char-à-banc char-à-bancs

But there, comfortably and safely seated in the char-à-banc, was his bride—the sympathetic companion and sharer in his work of after years.

From Lord Kelvin An account of his scientific life and work by Andrew Gray

It would be a longer expedition even than to Vesuvius, and as many were anxious to take part it was arranged to hire a motor char-à-banc to accommodate about twenty-four girls and several teachers.

From The Jolliest School of All by Angela Brazil

It was Joule with a long thermometer in his hand, which he would not trust by itself in the char-à-banc, coming slowly up the hill behind him, lest it should get broken.

From Lord Kelvin An account of his scientific life and work by Andrew Gray

A char-à-banc will be at the door at half-past ten to-morrow, good people.

From Sisters Three by Stanley Lloyd

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

From The Californians by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton

We had left our carriage at St. Martin, and travelled in char-à-bancs, with which you and Sophy made me long ago acquainted—cousin-german to an Irish jaunting-car.

From The Life and Letters of Maria Edgeworth, Volume 1 by Augustus J. C. Hare

When he re-entered the ball-room some time after, the guests were on the corridor waiting for their char-à-bancs.

From A Daughter of the Vine by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton

We started at five o'clock the next morning in a big, open char-à-bancs, and went through the most beautiful forest.

From The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912 by L. de (Lillie de) Hegermann-Lindencrone

The last meet of the season was, as always, at Folkington Green, close enough to Lewes to draw the townsfolk out on bicycles and in char-à-bancs.

From Boy Woodburn A Story of the Sussex Downs by Alfred Ollivant

All morning, carriages, coaches, silent-moving motorcars, char-à-bancs with rowdy parties, moke-carts, people on bicycles and afoot, streamed out of Liverpool.

From Boy Woodburn A Story of the Sussex Downs by Alfred Ollivant