caravansary

Definitions

  • WordNet 3.6
    • n caravansary an inn in some eastern countries with a large courtyard that provides accommodation for caravans
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
    • n Caravansary A kind of inn, in the East, where caravans rest at night, being a large, rude, unfurnished building, surrounding a court.
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Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
    • n caravansary In the East, a place appointed for receiving and lodging caravans; a kind of inn where the caravans rest at night, being a large square building, with a spacious court in the middle. Here travelers find shelter and accommodations, but are obliged, if they have not brought their own supplies, to procure provisions and all necessaries for both men and beasts at the neighboring bazaar. Also written caravanserai, caravansera.
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Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
    • Caravansary a kind of unfurnished inn where caravans stop
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Etymology

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
F. caravansérai, fr. Per. karwānsarāï,; karwān, caravan + -sarāï, palace, large house, inn
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
Pers. kārwānsarāī—kārwān, caravan, sarāi, inn.

Usage

In literature:

I had been most hospitably received and punctually served in my green caravansary.
"Story Hour Readings: Seventh Year" by E.C. Hartwell
Sorry to interfere, you know, and all that, but I'd be nailing sorry to leave any girl I knew in such a caravansary.
"Flaming June" by Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey
The next night, after dark, I arrived at a little village, and turned into an open caravansary.
"Mexico and its Religion" by Robert A. Wilson
Many of his large caravansaries which bear his name remain to this day.
"Modern Persia" by Mooshie G. Daniel
Bridges and caravansaries abounded; the latter, in the single province attached to its capital, amounted to 2,000.
"Historical Sketches, Volume I (of 3)" by John Henry Newman
When they returned to the caravansary they found the sheik with several of the native shop-keepers engaged with him in conversation.
"The Dash for Khartoum" by George Alfred Henty
I was left alone in his great caravansary of a mansion.
"The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 15, No. 87, January, 1865" by Various
They were bobbing over a bridge now, and a little way beyond she saw the lighted windows of the great caravansary, the Astor House.
"The Pagan Madonna" by Harold MacGrath
Their commodious house was a caravansary for fugitive slaves, and for anti-slavery pilgrims from all parts of the country.
"History of Woman Suffrage, Volume I"
From a soft-tongued and hardened swindler Peter procured a mule, and arranged to have the animal in the caravansary at daybreak.
"Peter the Brazen" by George F. Worts
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In poetry:

Proud caravansaries that compete
In studied arts to please
The multitude, with restless feet,
From earth's antipodes!
"Watch Hill" by Hattie Howard

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