house
Pronunciation: (n., adj.housv.houz), [key]
— n., pl. v., adj. hous•es housed, hous•ing,
—n.
- a building in which people live; residence for human beings.
- a household.
- (often cap.) a family, including ancestors and descendants: the great houses of France; the House of Hapsburg.
- a building for any purpose: a house of worship.
- a theater, concert hall, or auditorium: a vaudeville house.
- the audience of a theater or the like.
- a place of shelter for an animal, bird, etc.
- the building in which a legislative or official deliberative body meets.
- (cap.) the body itself, esp. of a bicameral legislature: the House of Representatives.
- a quorum of such a body.
- (often cap.) a commercial establishment; business firm: the House of Rothschild; a publishing house.
- a gambling casino.
- the management of a commercial establishment or of a gambling casino: rules of the house.
- an advisory or deliberative group, esp. in church or college affairs.
- a college in an English-type university.
- a residential hall in a college or school; dormitory.
- the members or residents of any such residential hall.
- a brothel; whorehouse.
- a variety of lotto or bingo played with paper and pencil, esp. by soldiers as a gambling game.
- Also calledthe area enclosed by a circle 12 or 14 ft. (3.7 or 4.2 m) in diameter at each end of the rink, having the tee in the center.
- any enclosed shelter above the weather deck of a vessel: bridge house; deck house.
- one of the 12 divisions of the celestial sphere, numbered counterclockwise from the point of the eastern horizon.
- to call forth vigorous applause from an audience; be highly successful: The children's performances brought down the house.
- See(def. 46).
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- to fill a theater with many people admitted on free passes; paper the house.
- to arrange or space the seating of patrons in such a way as to make an audience appear larger or a theater or nightclub more crowded than it actually is.
- to maintain a home; manage a household.
- very quickly; with energy or enthusiasm: The new product took off like a house on fire.
- as a gift from the management; free: Tonight the drinks are on the house.
- It is easy to criticize others, but it would be better to put one's own house in order first.
- to settle one's affairs.
- to improve one's behavior or correct one's faults:It is easy to criticize others, but it would be better to put one's own house in order first.
—v.t.
- to put or receive into a house, dwelling, or living quarters: More than 200 students were housed in the dormitory.
- to give shelter to; harbor; lodge: to house flood victims in schools.
- to provide with a place to work, study, or the like: This building houses our executive staff.
- to provide storage space for; be a receptacle for or repository of: The library houses 600,000 books.
- to remove from exposure; put in a safe place.
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- to stow securely.
- to lower (an upper mast) and make secure, as alongside the lower mast.
- to heave (an anchor) home.
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- to fit the end or edge of (a board or the like) into a notch, hole, or groove.
- to form (a joint) between two pieces of wood by fitting the end or edge of one into a dado of the other.
—v.i.
- to take shelter; dwell.
—adj.
- of, pertaining to, or noting a house.
- for or suitable for a house: house paint.
- of or being a product made by or for a specific retailer and often sold under the store's own label: You'll save money on the radio if you buy the house brand.
- served by a restaurant as its customary brand: the house wine.
House
Pronunciation: (hous), [key]
- (“Colonel House”), 1858–1938, U.S. diplomat.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.