Definition

Noun: 1. A formal room in a house used for receiving and entertaining guests: A drawing room is a more formal and often more elaborately furnished sitting room than a general living room, traditionally used by adults to receive and entertain visitors. 2. A private compartment on a sleeping car: On a train, a drawing room is a private compartment that typically contains seating, sleeping berths, and a private toilet.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Formal Reception Room):

  • After dinner, the ladies retired to the drawing room for coffee.
  • The large portrait hung above the fireplace in the drawing room.
  • They were asked to wait in the drawing room until the host arrived.

• Noun (Train Compartment):

  • They booked a drawing room for the overnight train journey for extra privacy.
  • The drawing room on this sleeper car can accommodate three passengers.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The term "drawing room" is a shortened form of the older term "withdrawing room," referring to a room to which people, particularly women, would withdraw after a meal.
• Its usage to describe a formal reception room is now somewhat dated and is associated with larger, traditional houses or historical contexts. In modern homes, the functions of a drawing room are often served by a "living room," "sitting room," or "parlor."
• In the context of train travel, "drawing room" is a specific type of premium accommodation.

Variants and Related Words

• Parlor (or Parlour) (noun): A room in a private house for sitting and entertaining guests; very similar in meaning and use to "drawing room."
• Sitting Room (noun): A room in a house for general everyday use; less formal than a drawing room.
• Living Room (noun): The main room in a house for general relaxation and social activity; the most common modern equivalent.
• Reception Room (noun): A formal term for a room used to receive guests.

Synonyms

• For the room: Parlor, sitting room, living room, reception room, lounge (in a formal context).
• For the train compartment: Compartment, sleeper compartment, roomette (though a roomette is usually smaller).

Antonyms

• There are no direct antonyms, but contrasting spaces in a home could include: kitchen, bedroom, utility room, cellar.

Noun

1. a private compartment on a sleeping car with three bunks and a toilet
2. a formal room where visitors can be received and entertained