gondola

Everyday

1. A long, narrow, flat-bottomed boat with a high point at each end, rowed by one person standing at the back with one oar, used on the canals of Venice in Italy. tree →
2. A cabin hanging from a cable that carries people up a mountain (a cable car). tree →
3. A basket or cabin hanging under a hot-air balloon or airship. tree →
4. (shops) A free-standing set of shelves in a supermarket. tree →

In the lessons

In geography lessons on Italy, gondolas are a famous sight of Venice, a city built on water, rowed by gondoliers. In The Wind in the Willows, the Sea Rat tells Ratty about Venice, with «gondolas» and lanterns on the canals. In ski resorts, gondolas take skiers up the mountain.

Examples

• We rode in a gondola along the canals of Venice. tree →
• The gondolier sang as he rowed. tree →
• We took the gondola up to the top of the mountain. tree →
• The Sea Rat talked of gondolas and lamps in Venice. tree →
• The hot-air balloon's gondola was made of wicker. tree →
• The gondola swayed gently in the wind. tree →
• A wide stream flowed through the garden, and on it floated richly ornamented barges and gondolas filled with people dressed in the most elegant manner and covered with jewels. tree →

Note

Countable. The rower is a gondolier. Stress on the first syllable: «GON-do-la».