Dictionary Meaning and Definition on 'Gondola'
- a low flat-bottomed freight car with fixed sides but no roof [syn: gondola car]
- long narrow flat-bottomed boat propelled by sculling; traditionally used on canals of Venice
- car suspended from an airship and carrying personnel and cargo and power plant [syn: car]
- Gondola \Gon"do*la\, n. (A["e]ronautics)
An elongated car under a dirigible.
- Gondola \Gon"do*la\, n. [It., dim. of gonda a gondola; cf. LL.
gandeia a kind of boat, Gr. ? a drinking vessel; said to be a
Persian word; cf. F. gondole gondola, cup.]
- A long, narrow boat with a high prow and stern, used in the canals of Venice. A gondola is usually propelled by one or two oarsmen who stand facing the prow, or by poling. A gondola for passengers has a small open cabin amidships, for their protection against the sun or rain. A sumptuary law of Venice required that gondolas should be painted black, and they are customarily so painted now.
- A flat-bottomed boat for freight. [U. S.]
- A long platform car, either having no sides or with very low sides, used on railroads. [U. S.]
Would you like to add your own explaination to this word 'Gondola'?
Wikipedia Meaning and Definition on 'Gondola'
The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were once the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (ferries) over the Grand Canal. They are also used in special regattas (rowing races) held amongst gondoliers. It is similar to punting, except it uses an oar to propel it instead of a pole.
The gondola is propelled by a person (the gondolier) who stands facing the bow and rows with a forward stroke, followed by a compensating backward stroke. Contrary to popular belief, the gondola is never poled like a punt as the waters of Venice are too deep. Until the early 20th century, as many photographs attest, gondolas were often fitted with a "felze", a small cabin, to protect the passengers from the weather or from onlookers. Its windows could be closed with louvered shutters—the original "venetian blinds". After the elimination of the traditional felze—possibly in response to tourists complaining that it blocked the view—there survived for some decades a kind of vestigial summer awning, known as the "tendalin" (these can be seen on gondolas as late as the mid-1950s, in the film Summertime). A sumptuary law of Venice required that gondolas should be painted black, and they are customarily so painted now.[See more about Gondola at Dictionary 3.0 Encyclopedia]
Words and phrases related to 'Gondola'
Gondola Sample Sentences in News
- Solar-powered Gondola Saving Clean Mountain Air in Colorado
Visiting Telluride, Colorado, the first thing you notice, besides the spectacular mountain view, is a free gondola. The gondola, traveling from the town of Telluride to the town of Mountain Village, is the first and only free public transportation of its kind in the United States. It was built to improve air quality in the region by keeping cars off the road. Read more on this news related to 'Gondola'
- Gondola numbers soar as tourists go ‘from Sea to Sky’
The Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish has attracted up to 40 per cent more visitors than expected, according to company general manager and founder Trevor Dunn. Read more on this news related to 'Gondola'
- China's Hony snaps up Pizza Express for around 900 mln pounds
Chinese private equity firm Hony Capital has struck a deal with Gondola Group to buy Britain's Pizza Express chain for about 900 mln pounds ($1.6 billion), the companies said on Saturday. Hony's interest comes two months after Pizza Express expanded its empire of 500 restaurants to include its first Beijing-based pizzeria. Private equity fund Cinven bought Read more on this news related to 'Gondola'