Word
coach
US/ˈkoʊtʃ/
UK/kˈəʊtʃ/
Definitions
01sports/skills trainer
n. a person who trains a person or a team in a sport or a specific skill.
n. an individual who provides instruction, strategy, and training to athletes or students.
“The football coach shouted instructions from the side of the field.”
“After the disappointing loss, the head coach spent hours reviewing game footage to identify defensive lapses.”
Synonyms
02long-distance bus
n. a large, comfortable bus used for long journeys between cities.
n. a large motor vehicle used for long-distance transport, typically offering more comfort than a standard city bus.
“We took a coach from London to Edinburgh because it was cheaper than the train.”
“The tour operator arranged a luxury coach equipped with reclining seats and climate control for the week-long excursion through the Alps.”
British English
Teaching tip
In British English, 'coach' is the standard term for intercity travel, whereas 'bus' usually refers to local city transport.
Synonyms
03economy class
n. the cheapest seats on a plane or train.
n. the standard or economy class of accommodation on a commercial aircraft or passenger train.
“I usually fly coach to save money on my business trips.”
“Due to the last-minute booking, only a few seats in coach remained available, all of which were located in the very back of the aircraft.”
American English
Usage
Often used as a modifier before another noun, as in 'coach class' or 'coach seats'.
Antonyms
05to train or teach
v. to give someone extra help or training to improve a skill.
v. to act as a trainer or tutor; to provide intensive instruction or direction.
“She coaches young children in swimming every Saturday morning.”
“He was hired to coach the executive team in public speaking ahead of the international conference.”
Usage
Can be used transitively (coach someone) or intransitively (to coach).
06traveling in economy
adv. traveling using the cheapest type of ticket.
adv. traveling in the economy or standard section of a commercial transport vehicle.
“The company policy requires all employees to fly coach for domestic flights.”
“Even though he had the funds to upgrade, he preferred to travel coach and spend his budget on better hotels instead.”
American English
Usage
Typically follows verbs of travel like 'fly' or 'travel'.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French coche, from German Kutsche, from Hungarian kocsi. According to historians, the coach was named after the small Hungarian town of Kocs, which made a livelihood from cart building and transport between Vienna and Budapest. The meaning “instructor/trainer” is from Oxford University slang (c. 1830) for a “tutor” who “carries” one through an exam; the athletic sense is from 1861.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Idioms
drive a coach and horses through — To spoil, break or render ineffective (a rule, plan or agreement).
roach coach — A catering or food truck.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/coach