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/ˈpʌŋkə/ · noun
(South Asia, Myanmar) A fan, particularly a large fan made of leaf or cloth and hung from the ceiling, (historical) formerly often operated by a servant..
A punkah is, by some, used instead of a chattah, (or umbrella); but it is very inferior as a defence against either sun, wind, or rain.
Outside the court the sun blazed—within was the wind of great punkahs that made you shiver …
In the refreshment room a few would-be passengers were cooled by the punkah, worked by a string tied to the big toe of a sleepy Burmese boy.
Perhaps it was a mistake to invite Mr Stanhope; the day was intolerably hot and humid; all he wanted to do was to lie on his bed with a punkah sighing over him, at least moving the unbreathable air.
Use punkah when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.
Punkah means (South Asia, Myanmar) A fan, particularly a large fan made of leaf or cloth and hung from the ceiling, (historical) formerly often operated by a servant..
The closest synonym depends on the sentence and intended sense.
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
A punkah is, by some, used instead of a chattah, (or umbrella); but it is very inferior as a defence against either sun, wind, or rain.
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