porterage
/'pɔ:təridʤ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The act or service of carrying luggage or goods by porters: "porterage" refers to the work or business of transporting items, typically using human labor.
- The charge or fee for this service: "porterage" also means the cost or payment for having luggage or goods carried by a porter.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The hotel offers porterage for guests arriving with heavy suitcases. (The hotel provides a luggage-carrying service for guests.)
- The porterage from the train station to the hotel was five dollars. (The fee for carrying the bags from the station was five dollars.)
Advanced Usage
- As an uncountable noun for the industry: The term can refer to the industry or practice itself.
- Porterage was a common profession before the widespread use of wheeled luggage.
- In historical or travel contexts: Often used in contexts involving hotels, stations, or historical modes of transport.
- The cost of the tour includes all porterage at the airports.
Variants and Related Words
- Porter (n): A person employed to carry luggage and other loads.
- Portage (n): The carrying of a boat or its cargo overland between two waterways. (Note: This is a distinct, related term often confused with 'porterage').
Synonyms
- Luggage handling: The service of moving luggage.
- Baggage service: A service for transporting baggage.
- Carrying charge: A fee for carrying items.
Notes on Meaning
The word specifically implies human carriage, often as a paid service. It is not typically used for mechanical transport. The two primary meanings (the service and its fee) are intrinsically linked.
Noun
- the transportation of burdens by porters
- the charge for carrying burdens by porters