Meaning & use
godowns
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“godowns” is a form of “godown”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralIndianbusiness
Large buildings used for storing goods, especially near a port or in a trading area.
Grammar: This is the plural form; the singular is 'godown'. Use a plural verb: 'The godowns are full.'
Patterns
- godowns full of something
- store something in godowns
The port was lined with godowns full of rice and spices.
Workers loaded sacks of tea into the godowns before the monsoon.
Several old godowns near the river have been converted into shops.
Word forms
| singular | godown |
|---|
Common combinations
- port godowns
- The port godowns were inspected by customs officers.
- storage godowns
- The company rented storage godowns on the outskirts of the city.
- goods godowns
- Goods godowns must be kept dry and secure.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- godown noun
- The singular form, meaning one such storage building.
Practice
The workers unloaded the sacks and carried them into the ______ near the docks.
Choose one answer.
'Godowns' is the plural form used here because there is more than one building, and it fits the Indian English context. 'Godown' is singular and would not agree with the plural sense. 'Warehouses' and 'depots' are possible in general English but less specific to this South Asian usage.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “godowns”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.