davenport

See also Davenport

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

Sofa sense was named for the now defunct furniture manufacturer A.H. Davenport Company.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈdævənpɔː(ɹ)t/

Noun

davenport (plural davenports)

1. A large sofa, especially a formal one.
   • 1922, Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt

     He blundered into the living-room, lay on the davenport, hands behind his head.

2. A writing desk.
   • 1894, E. Somerville, Martin Ross The Real Charlotte

     Then she went into the house, and, sitting down at the davenport in the dining—room, got out a sheet of her best notepaper, and wrote a note to Pamela Dysart in her strong, commercially clear hand.

   • 1944, Billy Wilder, Raymond Chandler Double Indemnity (screenplay)

     He crosses to the davenport to get the policies from his briefcase,