alcove

(redirected from Alcoves)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.

al·cove

(ăl′kōv′)

1. A recess or partly enclosed extension connected to or forming part of a room.

2. A secluded structure, such as a bower, in a garden.

[French alcôve, from Spanish alcoba, from Arabic al-qubba, the vault : al-, the, qubba, vault.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

alcove

(ˈælkəʊv)

1. a recess or niche in the wall of a room, as for a bed, books, etc

2. (Architecture) any recessed usually vaulted area, as in a garden wall

3. any covered or secluded spot, such as a summerhouse

[C17: from French alcôve, from Spanish alcoba, from Arabic al-qubbah the vault, arch]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

al•cove

(ˈæl koʊv)

n.

1. a recess or small room adjacent to or opening out of a room: a dining alcove.

2. a recess in a room for a bed, bookcases, or the like.

3. an arbor or bower.

[1670–80; < French alcôve < Sp alcoba < Arabic al-qubbah the dome]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun

alcove - a small recess opening off a larger room

bay

carrell, cubicle, carrel, stall - small individual study area in a library

niche, recess - an enclosure that is set back or indented

alcove

noun recess, corner, bay, niche, bower, compartment, cubicle, nook, cubbyhole There were bookshelves in the alcove beside the fire.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

مِخْدَع، فَجْوَة فِي جِدَار غُرْفَه

výklenek

alkoveniche

Alkoven Bettnische

alcôve ruelle

alkóv

krókur, útskot

alcova nicchia

niša

alkovsniša

alkove nisje

çıkmagirinti

凹室壁龛

alcove

[ˈælkəʊv] N → nicho m, hueco m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

alcove

[ˈælkəʊv] n → alcôve fal dente [ælˈdɛnteɪ] adj → al dente

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

alcove

n → Alkoven m, → Nische f; (in wall) → Nische f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

alcove

[ˈælkəʊv] n → alcova

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

alcove

(ˈӕlkəuv) noun

a small section of a room etc formed by part of the wall being set back.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Meanwhile, upon questioning him in his broken fashion, Queequeg gave me to understand that, in his land, owing to the absence of settees and sofas of all sorts, the king, chiefs, and great people generally, were in the custom of fattening some of the lower orders for ottomans; and to furnish a house comfortably in that respect, you had only to buy up eight or ten lazy fellows, and lay them round in the piers and alcoves. Besides, it was very convenient on an excursion; much better than those garden-chairs which are convertible into walking-sticks; upon occasion, a chief calling his attendant, and desiring him to make a settee of himself under a spreading tree, perhaps in some damp marshy place.

View in context

There seemed to have been grass paths here and there, and in one or two corners there were alcoves of evergreen with stone seats or tall moss-covered flower urns in them.

View in context

At one end of the room was what appeared to be a curtained alcove, the heavy hangings of which completely hid the interior.

View in context

Drawing aside the curtains, he revealed to view an alcove, in which stood a neat little gas-stove for cooking.

View in context

He did not know enough to ask the man at the desk, and began his adventures in the philosophy alcove. He had heard of book philosophy, but had not imagined there had been so much written about it.

View in context

If I think of touching, even with my finger, the son of Anne of Austria, the true king of this realm of France - if I have not the firm intention of prostrating myself before his throne - if in every idea I may entertain to-morrow, here at Vaux, will not be the most glorious day my king ever enjoyed - may Heaven's lightning blast me where I stand!" Aramis had pronounced these words with his face turned towards the alcove of his own bedroom, where D'Artagnan, seated with his back towards the alcove, could not suspect that any one was lying concealed.

View in context

In a large chamber of the Palais Royal, hung with a dark colored velvet, which threw into strong relief the gilded frames of a great number of magnificent pictures, on the evening of the arrival of the two Frenchmen, the whole court was assembled before the alcove of M.

View in context

It was in a turret, looking over the tops of the trees in the Anlage; and the bed was in an alcove, so that when you sat at the desk it had not the look of a bed-room at all.

View in context

We will only state here that, with the exception of an alcove which was contrived there for the use of Madame Grotius, it differed in no respect from the other cells of the prison; only, perhaps, it was a little higher, and had a splendid view from the grated window.

View in context

Harthouse, in an alcove in the garden, talking very low; he stood leaning over her, as they whispered together, and his face almost touched her hair.

View in context

Suddenly from a dark alcove another Wieroo rushed out toward him.

View in context

Bankruptcy must inevitably have come of this young Pagan, in Lombard-street, London, and also of a curtained alcove in the rear of the immortal boy, and also of a looking-glass let into the wall, and also of clerks not at all old, who danced in public on the slightest provocation.