Just Call It A Couch!
Mike
from Cadillac called in a question that has come up before: why is a certain
piece of furniture called a davenport? My immediate thought was that it must
have been manufactured in Davenport, Iowa, but I was mistaken. It has all sorts
of cousins.
davenport: A type of large, upholstered
couch or sofa which may be convertible into a bed. [Probably
from the maker’s name]
couch: An article of furniture for
reclining or sitting on. [L. to put in
place]
sofa: A long, stuffed seat with a back
and ends or end, used for reclining; a form of lounge or couch. [Arabic:
a part of the floor raised a foot or two, covered with rich carpets and
cushions, and used for sitting upon]
divan: Now usually, a low bed or couch
with no back or ends. [Persian: a cushioned bench]
settee: A seat holding two or more persons, with a
back and arms. [Perhaps a fanciful
variation of settle, a place to sit]
chesterfield: A stuffed couch or sofa with a
back and upright arms. [Ostentatiously
named after an Earl of Chesterfield, though he probably had nothing to do with
it]
lounge: A kind of
sofa or easy chair on which one can lie at full length. [Origin obscure]
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