The first: a Davenport as a type of small desk. Secondly, a Davenport as a sofa made by the A H Davenport Company. And thirdly, the word Davenport as a synonym for sofa. Confused? Don’t be.

Take, for instance, Davenport furniture, which can refer to either a comfortable sofa or a writing desk, depending on where you’re saying it (yes, the regional specificity matters) and the context.