Definition

1. Noun:
   • A long, low, backless sofa or couch, often with cushions placed against a wall: A piece of furniture for seating, typically found in living rooms or lounges.
   • A Muslim council chamber or law court: A room or hall used for official meetings, councils, or judicial proceedings in some Muslim societies.
   • A Muslim council of state: An administrative or advisory body in historical Muslim governments.
   • A collection of poems, especially Persian or Arabic poems by a single author: A book of lyrical poetry, often following a specific thematic or formal tradition.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Furniture):
  • She reclined on the divan while reading her book.
  • The antique divan was the centerpiece of the drawing room.
• Noun (Council/Chamber):
  • The sultan convened his advisors in the divan.
  • The dispute was settled in the royal divan.
• Noun (Poetry):
  • He is studying the divan of the famous Persian poet Hafez.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Administrative Context: The term can refer specifically to the chief administrative body of the Ottoman Empire (the Divan or Porte), highlighting its political significance.
  • Decisions of war and peace were made by the Ottoman Divan.
• Literary Context: In literature, a "divan" signifies a poet's complete collected works in a specific format, particularly in Middle Eastern literary traditions.
  • Rumi's Divan-e Shams is a masterpiece of mystical poetry.

Variants and Related Words

• Divan bed (n): A bed that is a base containing storage drawers, with a mattress on top, resembling the backless sofa style.
  • The small apartment had a divan bed to save space.
• Diwan (n): An alternative spelling, especially common in historical and South Asian contexts for the council or the poetry collection.

Synonyms

• Sofa, couch, settee (for the furniture meaning).
• Council, assembly, chamber (for the administrative meaning).
• Anthology, collection, oeuvre (for the poetry meaning).

Related Phrases

• To hold a divan: To convene an official council meeting (archaic/ historical usage).
  • The ruler held a divan to address the grievances of the merchants.

Related Idioms

• (As rare/complex as) a Persian divan: Used informally to describe something very intricate, elaborate, or difficult to understand, alluding to the complex poetry collections.
  • The legal document was as intricate as a Persian divan.

Noun

1. a Muslim council chamber or law court
2. a collection of Persian or Arabic poems (usually by one author)
3. a Muslim council of state
4. a long backless sofa (usually with pillows against a wall)