room

[ room, room ]

/ rum, rʊm /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR room ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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

the persons present in a room: The whole room laughed.

space or extent of space occupied by or available for something: The desk takes up too much room.

opportunity or scope for something: room for improvement; room for doubt.

status or a station in life considered as a place: He fought for room at the top.

capacity: Her brain had no room for trivia.

Mining. a working area cut between pillars.

verb (used without object)

to occupy a room or rooms; lodge.

Nearby words

rooinek, rook, rookery, rookie, rooky, room, room and board, room clerk, room divider, room father, room mother

Origin of room

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

SYNONYMS FOR room

5 provision, margin, allowance.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR room ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

un·der·room, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for room

Toomey glides around the room like a Brazilian capoeira dancer.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
One day he and some of his roommates were cleaning their room and one of the guys threw the dustpan out into the hall.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Barry showed me his room—a one bedroom with a killer view of Riverbank State Park and the Hudson.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Which is why you should: “Clap along, if you feel like a room without a roof.”
Forget the Resolutions; Try a Few Declarations|Kevin Bleyer|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST

They locked eyes across the room but they initially said nothing to one another.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The young men had engaged a room at Bertolini's hotel, on the Lungarno.
Aaron's Rod|D. H. Lawrence
"We shall not forget what you have told us," said Gilbert, as the wreck prepared to leave the room.
The Mystery of Lincoln's Inn|Robert Machray
But it won't be much use unless you can carry me upstairs and lock me in my room.
Mr. Prohack|E. Arnold Bennett
The same thought had come to Hubert Varrick as he paced wearily up and down his own room.
Kidnapped at the Altar|Laura Jean Libbey
The boys, and those in the room, caught a glimpse of the old miner as he hurried past the window after the gambler.
Two Boy Gold Miners|Frank V. Webster

British Dictionary definitions for room

room

/ (ruːm, rʊm) /

noun

space or extent, esp unoccupied or unobstructed space for a particular purposeis there room to pass?

an area within a building enclosed by a floor, a ceiling, and walls or partitionssitting room; dining room

(functioning as singular or plural) the people present in a roomthe whole room was laughing

(foll by for) opportunity or scoperoom for manoeuvre

(plural) a part of a house, hotel, etc, that is rented out as separate accommodation; lodgingsshe got rooms in town

a euphemistic word for lavatory (def. 1)

verb

(intr) mainly US to occupy or share a room or lodgingwhere does he room?

Derived Forms

roomer, noun

Word Origin for room

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with room

room

In addition to the idiom beginning with room

room and board

also see:

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