floor

[ flawr ]

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.

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.

floor

/ flɔː /

noun

1. Also calledflooring 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. take the floor
    to begin dancing on a dance floor

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

Other Words From

• floor·less adjective
• un·der·floor noun
• un·floor verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of floor¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of floor¹

Old English flōr ; related to Old Norse flōrr , Middle Low German vlōr floor, Latin plānus level, Greek planan to cause to wander

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

   He expected to mop the floor with his opponents.

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

More idioms and phrases containing floor

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

Related Words

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