dogana

The trade fairs, like the Pitti Uomo men's event this week, are held in a cluster of ancient fortress buildings with red tile roofs, octagonal rotundas and vast "dogana," or customs centers.

NYT > Home Page By SUZY MENKES 2011

Our lorries have been held up at Ventimiglia, where a ‘dogana’ has been erected by the Fascist government in Rome, a barrier has been put across the track, and payments have been demanded in the name of the King of

The Shape of Things to Come Herbert George 2006

Another European form, older than divan, and app. directly from Arabic, is It. dovana, doana, now dogana, F. douane in 15th c. douwaine, custom-house: see DOUANE.For a more discursive collection of definitions, with 19th-century stabs at etymology, see the Hobson-Jobson entry.

languagehat.com: DIVAN. 2005

Having given our names at the gate, we repaired to the dogana, or custom-house, where our trunks and carriage were searched; and here we were surrounded by a number of servitori de piazza, offering their services with the most disagreeable importunity.

Travels through France and Italy 2004

Travelling in Italy in those days was fraught with many annoyances, for, in addition to the slow progress made in the vetture, there seems to have been (judging from the journal) a dogana, or custom-house, every few miles, where the luggage and clothing of travellers were examined, sometimes hastily and courteously, sometimes with more rigor.

Letters and Journals 01 Morse, Samuel F B 1914

After coffee we were obliged to go to the dogana to see to the searching of all our trunks and luggage.

Letters and Journals 01 Morse, Samuel F B 1914

The shore was deserted save for myself and a portly dogana-official who was playing with his little son -- trying to amuse him by elephantine gambols on the sand, regardless of his uniform and manly dignity.

Old Calabria Norman Douglas 1910

The admiral shook it somewhat doubtfully, tipped his cap, and went hurriedly back to the _dogana_, or custom-house.

The Lure of the Mask Harold MacGrath 1901

I will tell the officers of the _dogana_ at Ventimiglia a good story -- trust me!

Mademoiselle of Monte Carlo William Le Queux 1895

Had they at the _dogana_ discovered the trick and telephoned from the frontier?

Mademoiselle of Monte Carlo William Le Queux 1895