bach
bach — noun
1. a small simple house that people use for weekends or holidays away from their us
a small simple house that people use for weekends or holidays away from their usual home.
Every summer, Hana's family stays in a wooden bach near the beach.
stay in a bach
The old bach had one bedroom, a gas stove, and a view of the bay.
describing a basic holiday house
After fishing all day, we cooked noodles outside the bach at sunset.
Priya rented a simple bach for the long weekend with her cousins.
rent a bach for a weekend trip
- stay in a bach
- rent a bach
- beach bach
- family bach
- cottage
more general and not specifically tied to New Zealand use
- cabin
often suggests a rougher or more rustic building
- weekend house
descriptive phrase for a house used on short breaks
Grammar Patterns
stay in a bach
rent a bach
a bach near the beach or lake
Usage Note
Used mainly in New Zealand for a small, practical holiday house, often near a beach or lake. It usually suggests a modest place rather than a luxurious second home.
bach — verb
- bachpresent simple I / you / we / they
- baches3rd person singular
- baching-ing form
- bachedpast simple
1. to live on your own like an unmarried man, often in simple conditions.
to live on your own like an unmarried man, often in simple conditions.
After the divorce, Mateo bached in a small flat above the bakery.
bach in + place
While his family stayed in Wellington, Tane bached near the sheep farm.
temporary living apart from family
For two years, Idris bached with a camp stove and one folding chair.
Niko bached in the city during the week and visited home on Fridays.
regularly living alone away from home
- bach in town
- bach near the coast
- bach alone
- bach for the season
- live alone
broad everyday phrase without the bachelor nuance
- bachelor
older or regional verb with a very similar meaning
Grammar Patterns
bach in + place
bach near + place
bach with only + basic things
Usage Note
Used mainly in New Zealand and usually describes a man living on his own in basic conditions, either temporarily or as a way of life. It often appears with a phrase showing the place where he stays.
Common Mistakes
Etymology
Bach began as a shortened form of bachelor in New Zealand English. The verb kept the older idea of living on your own like an unmarried man, and the noun later developed to mean the small, simple holiday house such a person might stay in.
First known use
1870
1870, in the meaning defined above Noun