landau
(ˈlændɔː)
Also 8 landeau, lando.
[f. Landau, the name of a town in Germany, where the vehicle was first made. The Ger. name is landauer, short for landauer wagen.]
A four-wheeled carriage, the top of which, being made in two parts, may be closed or thrown open, When open, the rear part is folded back, and the front part entirely removed. Also landau carriage.
| 1743 in J. Strang Glasgow (1856) 17 The coach or lando to contain six passengers. 1748 St. James's Even. Post No. 5982 Three Landaus with six Horses each..waited his coming. 1753 Shenstone Wks. & Lett. III. 218 There were near 200 people gathered round Lady Luxborough's landeau at Birmingham. 1786 Wesley Wks. (1872) XI. 322 The Pope was in an open landau. 1794 W. Felton Carriages (1801) I. 22 The body of a landau carriage differs nothing in shape from a Coach. The landau is the Coach form, the landaulet the Chariot form. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 306/1 The landau..combines more than the advantages of three distinct vehicles—a close carriage, a barouche or half-headed carriage, and one entirely open. |