caravan
n. · v.-
1 desert convoy (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea group of people, animals, or vehicles travelling together, especially across a desert.
a company of travellers, merchants, or pilgrims journeying together for safety in difficult or dangerous terrain.
ExampleThe merchant caravan took three weeks to cross the vast sandy desert.
ExampleHistorically, the Silk Road was traversed by massive caravans of camels carrying spices, silk, and precious metals between distant empires.
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2 to travel together (v.) C1 Advanced British Englishto travel together in a group of vehicles or with a caravan.
to journey as part of a convoy or to holiday using a towed vehicle.
ExampleThe three families decided to caravan together down to the coast for the summer.
ExampleThey spent the entire autumn caravanning across the highlands, stopping at various remote sites to enjoy the scenery.
UsageThe verb is often used intransitively to describe the act of travelling as a group.
From Middle French caravane, from Old French carvane, from Persian کاروان (kârvân), from Middle Persian kʾlwʾn' (kārawān), from Old Persian 𐎣𐎠𐎼 (k-a-r, “people, subjects”). The word was used to designate a group of people who were travelling by camel or horse on the Silk Road. Doublet of Kairouan.