Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun, plural char-à-bancs [-bangz, -bangks; French sha-ra-bahn] /-ˌbæŋz, -ˌbæŋks; French ʃa raˈbɑ̃/. British.
- a large bus used on sightseeing tours, especially one with open sides and no center aisle.
noun
- British obsolete a motor coach, esp one used for sightseeing tours
British for “sightseeing bus,” 1811, originally in a Continental context (especially Swiss), from French char-à-bancs, literally “benched carriage,” from char “wagon,” from Latin carrus (see car) + à “to” (see ad-) + banc “bench” (see bench (n.)).