ben
- noun
- Literature
:
ben
- In old Scottish cottages, the ben was often the warmest and most comfortable room.
Examples
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She invited us into the ben for tea after dinner.
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The children played quietly in the ben while the adults talked in the kitchen.
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They gathered in the ben for tea.
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The ben was warm and inviting.
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She invited us into the ben for tea after dinner.
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The children played quietly in the ben while the adults talked in the kitchen.
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In old Scottish cottages, the ben was often the warmest and most comfortable room.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
An area in a building with walls, a floor, and a ceiling
186
4.4
A room in a house or inn where people sit to talk and meet guests
20
1.6
A room in a house where people sit and talk
17
7.8
A woman's private bedroom or sitting room, often nicely decorated
Compounds
How Private
Surface Forms
Etymology
Ben for the inner room comes from an old Scots word ben meaning 'inside'. That's why a 'ben' was the warm, inner room of a house where people sat and rested.