lodge
A small house or cabin where people stay on trips.
The word lodge has several meanings:
- A small house or cabin, often in the woods or mountains. People stay in lodges when they visit national parks or go skiing. A hunting lodge might be a cozy building where hunters gather, while a ski lodge offers hot chocolate and warmth after a cold day on the slopes. Many lodges are built from logs or wood and designed to blend into natural surroundings.
- To become stuck or firmly positioned in something. An arrow might lodge in a tree trunk, or a popcorn kernel might lodge between your teeth. A splinter can lodge in your finger, making it painful until you remove it. The word suggests something has wedged itself in and won't come out easily.
- To stay somewhere temporarily as a guest. When travelers lodge at an inn, they're renting a room for the night. Students might lodge with a host family during a trip abroad. This usage is somewhat old-fashioned; people today usually say “stay” instead of “lodge.”
- A local chapter of an organization like the Elks or Masons. Members gather at their lodge building for meetings and social events.