I. ˈgändələ, ÷ gänˈdōlə, ÷ gənˈdō-; some speakers who use ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ for sense 1 use ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ for some of the other senses noun
( -s )
Etymology: Italian, from Middle Greek kondoura small vessel
1. : a long narrow flat-bottomed boat with a high prow and stern used on the canals of Venice and usually propelled by a gondolier who stands at the stern facing the prow and usually sculls with a single long oar
2. or gun·da·low or gun·de·low ˈgəndəˌlō, -n(d)ˌlō : a heavy flat-bottomed boat used on New England rivers as a gunboat in the Revolutionary War and subsequently in the barge traffic there and on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
3. or gondola car : a railroad car with no top, flat bottom, fixed sides, and sometimes demountable ends that is used chiefly for hauling steel, rock, or heavy bulk commodities
4.
a. : an elongated car attached to the underside of an airship
b. : a metallic often spherical airtight enclosure suspended from a balloon for carrying passengers or meteorological or other instruments
5. or gondola chair : an upholstered chair whose back curves forward at both sides to form the arms
6. : an island fixture used in self-service retail stores to display merchandise
7. : a motor truck or trailer having a large hopper-shaped container for transporting mixed concrete
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gondola 1
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II. noun
: an enclosed car suspended from a cable and used for transporting passengers ; especially : one used as a ski lift