‖ char-à-banc
(ˈʃærəbæŋ, ʃarabɑ̃)
Also charabanc, char-à-bancs. Pl. charabancs, char-à-bancs, (rarely) chars-à-banc(s).
[a. F. char-à-bancs lit. ‘benched carriage’.]
A kind of long and light vehicle with transverse seats looking forward. Also, a motor-coach.
The word charabanc, now rarely heard, has been replaced by (motor-)coach.
| 1816 Byron Jrnl. 17 Sept. (1830) II. 14 One of the country carriages (a char-à-banc). 1820 Ebel & Wall Trav. Guide Switzerland 173 The char-à-banc is a waggon provided with a long covered bench, on which you may either lie down or sit sideways, as in our long Bath coaches. Ibid., They [petits-chars] are lighter and more commodious than the chars-à-banc. 1826 J. M. Sherer Ramble in Germany 178 On my arrival at Como I immediately took a charabanc. 1832 G. Downes Lett. Cont. Countries I. 61 Tourists bound for Chamouny..hire a char-à-banc, which resembles an outside jaunting-car bisected lengthwise. 1864 Daily Tel. 25 Oct., The King's waggonette, or, being out of England, let us call it his char-à-banc. 1872 Jenkinson Guide Eng. La. 12 Taking the char-a-banc from Ambleside to Coniston. 1883 Ld. R. Gower Reminisc. II. 225 Our party numbered eight, and in two chars-à-bancs we drove all that day about the capital of Japan. 1909 Daily Tel. 4 Aug. 10 A char-à-bancs, containing eighteen passengers, being overturned. 1928 R. Campbell Wayzgoose ii. 35 Some came in char-à-bancs, and some on nags. 1928 R. Knox Footsteps at Lock iii. 23 Charabanc-loads of breezy Midlanders. 1953 [see prec.]. |
Hence charabancer (ˈʃærəbæŋkər), an excursionist who travels by char-à-banc.
| 1920 Punch 11 Aug. 115/2 One of the hardiest ‘charabankers’ was recently prostrated in that village by a well-aimed epithet from the oldest inhabitant. 1927 London Mercury Sept. 451 One fine day perhaps the charabancers awake to the fact that what they came for is no longer there. |