floor

American  

[flawr] / flɔr /

noun

1. that part of a room, hallway, or the like, that forms its lower enclosing surface and upon which one walks.

2. a continuous, supporting surface extending horizontally throughout a building, having a number of rooms, apartments, or the like, and constituting one level or stage in the structure; story.

3. a level, supporting surface in any structure.

   the elevator floor.

4. one of two or more layers of material composing a floor.

   rough floor; finish floor.

5. a platform or prepared level area for a particular use.

   a threshing floor.

6. the bottom of any more or less hollow place.

   the floor of a tunnel.

7. a more or less flat extent of surface.

   the floor of the ocean.

8. the part of a legislative chamber, meeting room, etc., where the members sit, and from which they speak.

9. the right of one member to speak from such a place in preference to other members.

   The senator from Alaska has the floor.

10. the area of a floor, as in a factory or retail store, where items are actually made or sold, as opposed to offices, supply areas, etc..

    There are only two salesclerks on the floor.

11. the main part of a stock or commodity exchange or the like, as distinguished from the galleries, platform, etc.

12. the bottom, base, or minimum charged, demanded, or paid.

    The government avoided establishing a price or wage floor.

13. Mining. an underlying stratum, as of ore, usually flat.

14. Nautical.

    1. the bottom of a hull.

    2. any of a number of deep, transverse framing members at the bottom of a steel or iron hull, generally interrupted by and joined to any vertical keel or keelsons.

    3. the lowermost member of a frame in a wooden vessel.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover or furnish with a floor.

2. to bring down to the floor or ground; knock down.

   He floored his opponent with one blow.

3. to overwhelm; defeat.

4. to confound or puzzle; nonplus.

   I was floored by the problem.

5. Also to push (a foot-operated accelerator pedal) all the way down to the floor of a vehicle, for maximum speed or power.

idioms

1. mop / wipe the floor with, to overwhelm completely; defeat.

   He expected to mop the floor with his opponents.

2. take the floor, to arise to address a meeting.

floor British  

/ flɔː /

noun

1. Also called: flooring.  the inner lower surface of a room

2. a storey of a building

   the second floor

3. a flat bottom surface in or on any structure

   the floor of a lift

   a dance floor

4. the bottom surface of a tunnel, cave, river, sea, etc

5. mining an underlying stratum

6. nautical the bottom, or the lowermost framing members at the bottom, of a vessel

7. that part of a legislative hall in which debate and other business is conducted

8. the right to speak in a legislative or deliberative body (esp in the phrases get, have, or be given the floor )

9. the room in a stock exchange where trading takes place

10. the earth; ground

11. a minimum price charged or paid

    a wage floor

12. to begin dancing on a dance floor

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verb

1. to cover with or construct a floor

2. (tr) to knock to the floor or ground

3. informal (tr) to disconcert, confound, or defeat

   to be floored by a problem

floor More Idioms  

1. see ground floor; mop up the floor with; sink through the floor; take the floor; walk the floor.

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Other Word Forms

• floorless adjective
• underfloor noun
• unfloor verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of floor

First recorded before 900; from Middle English flor, Old English flōr; cognate with Old Norse flōr, Middle Low German vlōr, Middle High German vluor ( German Flur )

Related Words

• basement
• canvas
• carpet
• deck
• flooring
• ground
• mat
• rug
• stage