hostels
hostels — noun
- hostelssingular
- hostelsesplural
1. a low-cost place for travellers to sleep, where guests usually share a dormitory
a low-cost place for travellers to sleep, where guests usually share a dormitory-style room and have use of a shared kitchen and common area
Marta booked a bed in a six-person dorm at the hostel in central Lisbon.
collocation: dorm at the hostel
At the hostel, Eli swapped travel tips with other guests over breakfast in the shared kitchen.
collocation: shared kitchen
Saira chose a hostel with free Wi-Fi and lockers for her solo trip through Thailand.
Yara joined the hostel's evening walking tour and ended up sharing tapas with five other guests.
Mauricio met three new friends in the hostel common room on his first evening in Cusco.
- youth hostel
specifically part of the Hostelling International network or aimed at young people
- backpackers
informal; used especially in Australia and New Zealand for the same type of place
- guesthouse
usually offers private rooms and fewer shared facilities than a hostel
- hotel
provides private rooms and full services at a higher price
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (a cheap lodging house in general): this sense always refers to short-stay accommodation for travellers, often with dormitory beds and social spaces.
常見錯誤
2. a large house that provides beds for people at little or no cost, often run by a
a large house that provides beds for people at little or no cost, often run by a charity, church, or employer
Hiro stayed at a workers' hostel near the port for three dollars a night.
collocation: workers' hostel
The old mansion was turned into a hostel for nurses at the city hospital.
passive: be turned into a hostel
Niran found a clean hostel run by a local church during her week in Nairobi.
Zahara stretched out on her bunk at the railway hostel and fell asleep before the lights went out.
Mr. Okonkwo found a hot meal and a bed at the charity hostel after losing his job at the docks.
- boarding house
usually charges rent and provides meals, not free
- lodging house
a more general term for any building renting out rooms cheaply
- dormitory
typically tied to a school or institution, not open to the public
3. a building run by a charity or local council where people without a home can get
a building run by a charity or local council where people without a home can get a bed, a meal, and support for a limited time
Rachid spent two months at a hostel for homeless men while he looked for work.
collocation: hostel for homeless men
Jamal got a hot meal and a bed at the new winter hostel on its opening night.
collocation: winter hostel
Nellie volunteered at a women's hostel that helped residents find permanent housing.
A local hostel gave Rania a bed, a shower, and help with her benefits claim.
Jian missed the hostel curfew by ten minutes and had to sleep on a bench outside the station.
- shelter
a broader term covering any short-term refuge; 'hostel' implies a longer stay with more support
- refuge
emphasises safety from danger (e.g. a women's refuge), not just homelessness
- halfway house
specifically for people transitioning out of prison, hospital, or rehab, not general homelessness
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: a hostel in this sense provides emergency shelter for homeless people, not holiday accommodation for travellers. Subject is usually a charity, council, or religious organisation.
常見錯誤
hostels — verb
- hostelspresent simple I / you / we / they
- hostelses3rd person singular
- hostelsing-ing form
- hostelsedpast simple
1. to travel from place to place while sleeping in hostels each night, as a cheap w
to travel from place to place while sleeping in hostels each night, as a cheap way of seeing a country or region
Kofi hostelled across six countries in Europe on less than forty euros a day.
hostelled + across + countries
Sofia plans to hostel her way from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City this summer.
hostel + one's way + from ... to ...
Rania and her cousin hostelled around New Zealand for three months, moving every few days.
Mia had never hostelled before and felt nervous about sharing a room with strangers.
Tariq hostelled across Vietnam for six weeks and cooked nearly every meal in hostel kitchens.
- backpack
broader term covering the whole travelling style, not just the type of accommodation
- budget-travel
focuses on low cost overall, not specifically on staying in hostels
文法句型
hostel + across/around/through + place
用法筆記
Informal verb, more common in British English. Often used with prepositions of movement (across, around, through). The past tense is usually spelled 'hostelled' with a double 'l'.