Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A two-wheeled covered carriage with the driver's seat above and behind. Also called hansom cab.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A low-hung two-wheeled hackney-carriage or cabriolet much used in the large towns of Great Britain, and recently introduced in some cities of the United States. It holds two persons besides the driver, who is mounted on a dicky or elevated seat behind the body of the carriage, the reins being brought over the top. It has folding half-doors in front and a strong high dashboard.
Wiktionary
- n. A Hansom cab; a carriage
GNU Webster's 1913
- A light, low, two-wheeled covered carriage with the driver's seat elevated behind, the reins being passed over the top.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a two-wheeled horse-drawn covered carriage with the driver's seat above and behind the passengers
Etymologies
- After Joseph Aloysius Hansom (1803-1882), British architect. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“When he had lighted it he tipped the porter, and strolled back to the entrance, on the chance of finding the carriage still there, but it had gone, and he called a hansom, paused a moment with his foot on the step, then finally directed the man to drive to the Fraylings '.”
“Finding myself in want of a particular Gazetteer which was not to be found in the office, and being in no mood to take a clerk, however uncritical, into my confidence, I called a hansom and drove straight to the Museum; where, having ensconced myself in the reading-room with the work in question, I prepared to devote a dusty and laborious morning to the service of State.”
The Right Stuff Some Episodes in the Career of a North Briton
“Going on the streets he walked until exhausted, then he called a hansom and was driven to his club.”
“You think a dashing, irresponsible hansom is more in keeping with the Factory Girls 'Club or some giddy Whitechapel frivolity!”
“They walked down the one flight of stairs together, their footsteps echoing up through the empty house; out on the pavement he called a hansom, held his arm across the wheel as she stepped in; turned to the cabby, gave him his fare, told him Waterloo Station; then he leant across the step of the cab and held out his hand.”
“So I called a hansom, and she sank back in a corner with a little sigh of relief.”
“I called a hansom outside and drove at once to Blenheim House, the temporary residence of the Archduchess and her suite.”
“She called a hansom, drove to a post-office, and sent a telegram:”
“He started back to the club, but it was so hot that he thought he would faint before he got there; so he called a hansom, on the principle that it was cheaper to ride and keep well than to walk and have a sunstroke.”
“Having sent my meal away almost untouched, I called a hansom and drove to the nearest theatre, but the picture of Phyllis crying and calling for me in vain kept me company throughout the performance, and brought me home more miserable at the end than I had started.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘hansom’.
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phrontistery - h
from phrontistery.info
hysteresis, hyrax, hyoid, hymnody, hymnal, hylicism, hydric, hyalopterous, hyaloid, hyalography, hyaline, hyacinthine and 568 more...
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imogen's Words
coagitate, cloche, harum-scarum, foxglove, cryptolect, cant, roux, angora, duff, ulysse, schadenfreude, pepperpot and 315 more...
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Just 'cause I like 'em, H
hurlyburly, hurtle, hodgepodge, heartwood, hatch, halo, hooptedoodle, hacienda, hairpin, heyday, hardscrabble, hopper and 208 more...
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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Words gathered while reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce.
refectory, soutane, ha-ha, jewelly, girt, centenary, collywobbles, coadjutor, catafalque, beeftea, pierhead, bedad and 235 more...
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Vocab++
Words as I learn them.
fetid, mezzanine, hiatus, austerity, subliminal, resplendent, implacable, impugn, debase, exiguous, cirque, holster and 2538 more...
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Wordnik Notebooks
All the words from the cover of the Wordnik notebook.
A few words appear twice: frass, cruet, luna, thalweg, and possibly some more.
Careful: Contains spoilers!spilth, frass, fomite, rux, worricow, alizarin, mundungus, parthenocarpy, jib, whinyard, weisure, nimiety and 217 more...
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learning
A list of words whose meanings I am learning, either because a) I don't know the meaning b) I know the meaning, but could stand to better appreciate certain inflections or secondary meanings or c) ...
louche, educe, loam, cob, sclerotic, palliate, axial, syndicalist, ecumenical, sally, fatuous, parvenu and 1381 more...
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Stellar Six-Letter Words
I've been meaning to make this list for at least a year, to go with Really Cool Two-Letter Words, Three-Letter Words, Four-Letter Words, Slightly Less Cool Four-Letter Words, and Five-Letter Words....
degust, tattoo, quahog, anoxia, acetic, rugose, bathos, umlaut, mohawk, python, harbor, panzer and 78 more...
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objects
teapot, tea cosy, kettle, bandana, canopy, crockery, cutlery, doormat, easel, loupe, allen key, bric-a-brac and 35 more...
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The Barouche List: Need a Ride?
Bilby says I should have one. Even though most of these are on my other lists (the ones that weren't, I didn't really want to list).
barouche, buggy, carriage, cabriolet, randem, berlin, victoria, surrey, herdic, hansom, rockaway, cariole and 74 more...
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MachinChouette's Words
coddle, scion, hansom, sputum, pince-nez, snit, lulu, hoodwink
Tweets
Looking for tweets for hansom.
chained_bear Usage on barouche. Oct 21, 2008