- house
- ♦houses, housing, housed(The noun is pronounced [[t]ha͟ʊs[/t]]. The verb is pronounced [[t]ha͟ʊz[/t]]. The form houses is pronounced [[t]ha͟ʊzɪz[/t]].)1) N-COUNT A house is a building in which people live, usually the people belonging to one family.
She has moved to a small house and is living off her meagre savings.
...her parents' house in Warwickshire.
2) N-SING: usu the N You can refer to all the people who live together in a house as the house.If he set his alarm clock for midnight, it would wake the whole house...
So I grew up with that feeling that the man is the head of the house.
Syn:3) N-COUNT: n N House is used in the names of types of places where people go to eat and drink....a steak house.
...an old Salzburg coffee house.
4) N-COUNT: n N House is used in the names of types of companies, especially ones which publish books, lend money, or design clothes.Many of the clothes come from the world's top fashion houses...
Eventually she was fired from her job at a publishing house.
5) N-IN-NAMES: n N House is sometimes used in the names of office buildings and large private homes or expensive houses. [mainly BRIT]I was to go to the very top floor of Bush House in Aldwych.
...Harewood House near Leeds.
6) N-COUNT You can refer to the two main bodies of Britain's parliament and the United States of America's legislature as the House or a House.Some members of the House and Senate worked all day yesterday...
The Republicans have majorities in both Houses.
The club is planning a public debate on `This house believes that journalism has not gained from the introduction of new technology'.
8) N-COUNT In a British school, a house is a group of children of different ages who compete against other groups in sports and other activities. Each house usually has a name.He was a prefect and house captain.
9) N-COUNT: with supp A house is a family which has been or will be important for many generations, especially the family of a king or queen....the Saudi Royal House.
...the House of Windsor.
10) N-COUNT The house is the part of a theatre, cinema, or other place of entertainment where the audience sits. You can also refer to the audience at a particular performance as the house.They played in front of a packed house.
11) ADJ: ADJ n A restaurant's house wine is the cheapest wine it sells, which is not listed by name on the wine list.Tweed ordered a carafe of the house wine.
...a bottle of house red or white.
12) VERB To house someone means to provide a house or flat for them to live in.[V n] Part III of the Housing Act 1985 imposes duties on local authorities to house homeless people...
[V n adv/prep] Regrettably we have to house families in these inadequate flats.
13) VERB: no cont A building or container that houses something is the place where it is located or from where it operates.[V n] The château itself is open to the public and houses a museum of motorcycles and cars...
[V n] Many years later, the temple erected in her name was used to house the Roman mint.
14) VERB: no cont If you say that a building houses a number of people, you mean that is the place where they live or where they are staying.[V n] The building will house twelve boys and eight girls...
[V n] Their villas housed army officers now.
Syn:15) → See also , chapter house, , council house, , full house, , opera house, , wendy house, White House16) PHRASE: V inflects If a person or their performance or speech brings the house down, the audience claps, laughs, or shouts loudly because the performance or speech is very impressive or amusing. [INFORMAL]It's really an amazing dance. It just always brings the house down.
17) PHRASE: V inflects If two people get on like a house on fire, they quickly become close friends, for example because they have many interests in common. [INFORMAL]Syn:hit it off18) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR for n If you keep house, you do the cleaning and cooking for your household, and do not go out to work.He lives with an aunt who keeps house for him.
19) PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v If you are given something in a restaurant or bar on the house, you do not have to pay for it.The owner knew about the engagement and brought them glasses of champagne on the house.
20) PHRASE: V inflects If someone gets their house in order, puts their house in order, or sets their house in order, they arrange their affairs and solve their problems.He's got his house in order and made some tremendous decisions...
The challenge for American leadership is this: Can we put our economic house in order?...
Before you lecture me, Mr Abbey, I suggest you set your house in order.
English dictionary. 2008.
