room

[room, room]

noun

1. a portion of space within a building or other structure, separated by walls or partitions from other parts.

   a dining room.

2. rooms, lodgings or quarters, as in a house or building.

3. the persons present in a room.

   The whole room laughed.

4. space or extent of space occupied by or available for something.

   The desk takes up too much room.

5. opportunity or scope for something.

   room for improvement; room for doubt.

   Synonyms: allowance, margin, provision

6. status or a station in life considered as a place.

   He fought for room at the top.

7. capacity.

   Her brain had no room for trivia.

8. Mining.,  a working area cut between pillars.

verb (used without object)

1. to occupy a room or rooms; lodge.

room

/ ruːm, rʊm /

noun

1. space or extent, esp unoccupied or unobstructed space for a particular purpose

   is there room to pass?

2. an area within a building enclosed by a floor, a ceiling, and walls or partitions

   sitting room

   dining room

3. (functioning as singular or plural) the people present in a room

   the whole room was laughing

4. (foll by for) opportunity or scope

   room for manoeuvre

5. (plural) a part of a house, hotel, etc, that is rented out as separate accommodation; lodgings

   she got rooms in town

6. a euphemistic word for lavatory

verb

1. (intr) to occupy or share a room or lodging

   where does he room?

Other Word Forms

• underroom noun
• roomer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of room¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English roum(e), Old English rūm; cognate with Dutch ruim, German Raum

Word History and Origins

Origin of room¹

Old English rūm ; related to Gothic, Old High German rūm

Idioms and Phrases

• not enough room to swing a cat
• take up space (room)

Example Sentences

It was a stark contrast three years later, at the end of the 2013-14 series, when you could have heard a pin drop in the very same dressing room.

Read more on BBC

On shoots, she always came into the rooms with me to be sure everything was safe.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For now, Lilly’s growth engine has plenty of room to keep growing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I would have booked a hotel room as soon as Alexa started taking cues from some unholy presence.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Melendrez waved to a section of the office covered in black tarps — they’re turning that section into a room so its volunteers and workers can speak with the families of detained carwasheros in privacy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accommodation 
• apartment 
• cabin 
• cave 
• chamber 
• cubicle 
• den 
• lodging 
• office 
• suite