floorn.¹

Brit.

/flɔː/, U.S.

/flɔr/

Forms: Old English flór, Middle English flor, Middle English–1600s flore, flour(e, Middle English–1500s, 1800s dialect flur(e, 1500s Scottish fluire, (1500s floyyre), 1500s–1600s floar(e, 1500s–1700s flower, 1600s floore, 1600s– floor.

Etymology: Old English flór strong masculine and feminine, corresponds to Middle Dutch, modern Dutch vloer, Middle High German vluor masculine and feminine (modern German flur feminine field, plain, masculine floor), Old Norse flór floor of a cowstall < Germanic *floru-s < pre-Germanic *plāru-s or *plōru-s. Compare Old Irish lár, Welsh llawr of same meaning < pre-Celtic *plār-.

I. In a house or other structure.

a. The layer of boards, brick, stone, etc. in an apartment, on which people tread; the under surface of the interior of a room. to mop or wipe the floor with: see mop v.³ 2b, wipe v. 10e.

ΚΠ

c888 Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. i He gefeoll niwol of dune on þa flor.

OE Beowulf 725 On fagne flor feond treddode.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15566 & all he warrp ut i Þe flor Þe bordess. & te sillferr.

1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (1724) 288 Þe flor to brac vnder hem.

a1400 Isumbras 653 The knyghtes..fande the golde right in the flore.

1528 D. Lindsay Dreme 13 Sumtyme, playand fairsis on the flure.

1681 R. Knox Hist. Relation Ceylon 116 They dig an hole in the floar of their house.

1718 Free-thinker No. 17. 2 She..walks two or three Turns in a Fret over the Floor.

1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth xi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. II. 309 He threw his glove upon the floor of the church.

1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. v. 40 The stone floor was dark with moisture.

b. In extended sense: The base of any cavity; the bottom of a lake, sea, etc. Also figurative: a minimum, esp. of prices or wages. Cf. ceiling n. 6d.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > low position > [noun] > lowest position > bottom or lowest part > bottom of a cavity

groundc825

floorOE

society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > [noun] > specific price level

trigger-point1891

support level1906

ceiling1934

roof1939

floor1941

support floor1942

society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > payment for labour or service > wage structures and scales > [noun] > level at which wages set > minimum level

floor1959

OE Christ & Satan 317 Flor attre weol, hat under hæftum.

c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme lxxviii. 41 in Coll. Wks. (1998) II. 107 Where the deepe did show his sandy flore.

1844 R. W. Emerson New Eng. Reformers in Wks. (1906) I. 268 They would know the worst, and tread the floor of hell.

1866 R. Tate Plain & Easy Acct. Mollusks Great Brit. iii. 48 The tongue forms the floor of the mouth.

1869 G. Rawlinson Man. Anc. Hist. 2 Found underneath the floors of caves.

1938 Reader's Digest Sept. 1 Even fair price ceilings and quality floors won't answer real needs unless an adequate supply of goods is made available.

1941 Time 21 July 70/3 Excuse for the silver-buying program and its artificial price floor..was to keep Western miners at work.

1949 Economist 24 Sept. 670/1 Price-floors were set for bituminous coal.

1959 Economist 11 Apr. 106/2 A floor of only £12 a week on the wages of British artists.

†c. metonymically. Those who sit on the floor, as opposed to those who occupy elevated seats in token of rank or dignity. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social class > the common people > the common people of any group > [noun]

floor1662

rank and file1828

rank1845

1662 W. Gurnall Christian in Armour: 3rd Pt. 145 Mean in their condition and rank, being of the floor and lowest of the people.

1683 R. North in State Trials (1811) IX. 193 Differences between him [the lord mayor] and the aldermen on the one side, and the floor or livery men on the other.

d. spec. The floor of a studio where films or television programmes are shot; hence used allusively: (a) a film or television studio; (b) in on the floor, of a film: in production.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > cinematography > filming > [noun] > place for filming

studio1909

location1914

lot1915

film set1916

sound stage1931

floor1937

society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > cinematography > filming > [adverb] > in production

on the floor1937

1937 M. Robinson Continuity Girl v. 89 Rene was to be continuity. Mr. Kimmins asked me to come on the floor as her assistant.

1948 Ann. Reg. 1947 443 The inauguration of the modern Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer floors at Elstree.

1948 Observer 22 Feb. 5/1 At Elstree, only one film, the Guinea Pig, is on the floor.

1950 ‘E. Crispin’ Frequent Hearses i. 15 ‘How far has it [sc. a film] got?’ ‘It's not on the floor yet... I mean that they haven't actually started making it yet.’

1957 M. Kennedy Heroes of Clone i. i. 13 I'll make a shooting script... It'll be something you can go on the floor with.

1971 R. Busby Deadlock xiii. 200 [He's] down there on the floor. We're doing one for the can and then he goes out live.

a. The framework or structure of joists, etc. supporting the flooring of a room.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > framework of building > [noun] > joist > collectively

joisting1651

floor1679

naked flooring1819

1679 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. ix. Explan. Terms 167 Floor, in Carpentery, it is as well taken for the Fram'd work of Timber, as the Boarding over it.

1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 220 Bridging Floors, floors in which bridging joists are used.

1858 P. L. Simmonds Dict. Trade Products Floor, the timber, bricks &c. of the platform..on which the planks or flooring is laid.

b. Applied to the ceiling of a room, in its relation to the apartment above. Also transferred of the sky.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the universe > sky, heavens > [noun]

roofeOE

welkinc825

heaveneOE

heightOE

heavenOE

liftOE

loftOE

welkin1122

skies?a1289

firmamentc1290

skewa1300

spherea1300

skewsc1320

hemispherec1374

cope of heavenc1380

clouda1400

skya1425

elementc1485

axle-treea1522

scrowc1540

pole1572

horizona1577

vaulta1586

round?1593

the cope1596

pend1599

floor1600

canopy1604

cope1609

expansion1611

concameration1625

convex1627

concave1635

expansum1635

blue1647

the expanse1667

blue blanket1726

empyrean1727

carry1788

span1803

overhead1865

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > roof > ceiling > [noun]

roofeOE

firstOE

first-roofOE

silour1424

siling1483

ceiling1535

loftingc1540

loft1596

floor1600

plafond1664

top1709

ceil1840

planchment1874

laquearia1922

overhead1942

1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 58 Looke how the floore of heauen is thick inlayed with pattens of bright gold.

1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 931 Sticking up a broch or spit..to the floore over head.

1887 C. Bowen tr. Virgil Æneid i, in tr. Virgil in Eng. Verse 84 Then Cæsar..Bounding his throne by the Ocean, his fame by the firmament floor.

3. Nautical.

a. (See quot. 1867.)

ΚΠ

a1618 W. Raleigh Disc. Invention Shipping 18 in Judicious & Select Ess. (1650) We have given longer Floares to our Ships, then in elder times, and better bearing under water.

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor, the bottom of a vessel on each side of the kelson; but strictly taken, it is only so much of her bottom as she rests upon when aground.

†b. The deck. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > part of vessel above water > [noun] > deck

hatcha1375

orlop1420

over loftc1430

loft1488

deck1513

floor1683

main deck1730

1683 W. Hacke Coll. Orig. Voy. (1699) I. 37 We took up our Water Cask from out of the Main Hatch to the Floor, and cleared the Timbers amid-Ships.

c. plural = floor-timber n.

ΚΠ

1805 D. Steel Naval Archit. 378 In the Royal Navy..the floors are bolted through the keelson and keel.

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floors or Floor-Timbers.

a. In legislative assemblies, the part of the house where the members sit, and from which they speak.

Hence figurative. The right of speaking; as to get or obtain the floor. to take the floor: to get up to address a meeting; to take part in a debate. Chiefly U.S.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > English or British parliament > [noun] > place of > parts of

floor1774

gangway1818

lobby1845

back bench1874

front bench1891

the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse [verb (intransitive)] > take turn in conversation or debate

to take the speech1612

to take the floor1804

to get or obtain the floor1816

to take up the ball1873

1774 J. Adams in J. Adams & A. Adams Familiar Lett. (1876) 12 He came upon the floor, and asked a member, ‘What state are you now in?’

1804 Pitt Speeches (1806) IV. 354 The right honourable gentleman on the floor.

1811 B. Rush in J. Q. Adams' Wks. (1854) IX. 638 (note) It blazed forth..in the year 1776 upon the floor of Congress.

1816 J. Pickering Vocab. U.S. (at cited word) To get the floor; that is, to obtain an opportunity of taking part in a debate.

1880 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times III. xlvi. 391 The Conservatives get what American politicians call ‘the floor’.

1885 Manch. Examiner 15 May 6/1 Sauntering boldly up the floor of the House.

1886 Literary World (Boston) 11 Dec. 469/1 The President took the floor to second the above resolutions.

1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. I. xii. 157 The senator from Minnesota has the floor.

1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. I. xiii. 177 The member who first ‘obtains the floor’.

b. In Courts of Law (see quot. 1867).

ΚΠ

1867 J. J. S. Wharton Law-lexicon (ed. 4) Floor of the court, the part of the court between the judges and the first row of counsel. Parties who appear in person stand there.

c. from the floor: of a question, speech, etc.: delivered by an individual (member, spectator, etc.), as opposed to the governing body, the ‘platform’.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > speech-making > [adjective] > of particular types of speeches

characteristicala1628

internunciary1682

from the floor1966

1966 Rep. Comm. Inq. (Univ. of Oxf.) I. 234 Resolutions moved not by Council, but from the floor.

5. A set of rooms and landings in a house on the same or nearly the same level; a story. See first floor n.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > [noun] > floor or storey

stagea1300

storeyc1384

loft1526

floor1585

sollar1585

contignation1592

roof1600

flat1801

piano1835

row1873

level1968

1585 J. Higgins tr. Junius Nomenclator 181 Trisiega..an house of three sollers, floores, stories or lofts one ouer another.

1611 B. Jonson Catiline i. sig. B2^v He that, building, stayes at one Floore, or the second, hath erected none.

1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 161. ⁋5 The lodgers on the first floor had stipulated that [etc.].

1830 Ld. Tennyson Mariana vi, in Poems 18 Old footsteps trod the upper floors.

1831 J. Sinclair Corr. II. 330 Many buildings..are let in floors to mechanics.

II. A level space or area.

a. An artificial platform, or levelled space, for the carrying on of some industry, esp. threshing. Cf. threshing-floor (see threshing floor n.). Also, a dance-floor; to take the floor: to take part in a dance. †Rarely, a structure to walk over.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > workplace > factory > [noun] > platform or space for carrying out industry

floorc1000

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [noun]

fleta1000

floorc1000

floorth1303

loftingc1540

contignation1592

loft1596

contabulation1615

flooring1624

planchera1825

contablature1827

ground1847

Rory O'More1857

floor level1874

Rory1938

society > travel > means of travel > route or way > other means of passage or access > [noun] > a structure to walk over

floorc1000

society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > [noun] > with reference to condition or situation > a structure to walk over

floorc1000

society > leisure > dancing > place for dancing > [noun] > floor for dancing

dancing-floor1839

floor1839

dance floor1874

dance-floor1928

c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Luke (Corpus Cambr.) iii. 17 He feormað his bernes flore.

c1300 K. Alis. 6104 Of hurdles of bruggen they made flores, And so they wente into the mores.

c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xviii. 83 Þan þai gader þe fruyt and..layez it apon a flure til it becom blakk and runkled.

1574 J. Baret Aluearie F 721 A floore where corne is threshed, area.

1702 in London Gaz. No. 3790/4 Every Cistern..Kiln, Floor, Room, or other Place..made use of for the Wetting or Steeping of Corn.

1775 B. Romans Conc. Nat. Hist. E. & W. Florida 166 One or two platforms..called drying floors.

1839 W. Carleton Fardorougha (1848) iv. 46 Answer Mrs. Fogarty, statin' fedher you'll take a month's larnin' on the flure.

1851 M. Reid Scalp Hunters I. vii. 99 We returned to our seats again; and after refreshing..again ‘took the floor’.

1884 C. T. Davis Pract. Treat. Manuf. Bricks (1889) v. 128 The ‘floors’..the level places where the bricks are moulded.

1884 L. Troubridge Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 171 We all went to the New Club Ball..such a floor, such music, and such a partner.

1888 Lockwood's Dict. Mech. Engin. Floor, the sand bed of a foundry is termed the floor.

1938 G. Greene Brighton Rock ii. i. 68 The floor was cleared for the last cabaret of the evening.

1967 R. Rendell New Lease of Death viii. 82 ‘Hard to make conversation when you're dancing.’.. ‘Like “Don't you think this is a good floor”?’

figurative.1782 W. Cowper Expostulation in Poems 302 Where flails of oratory thresh the floor.

b. transferred. The corn, etc. placed on a ‘floor’. In Malting, A batch or quantity of grain laid at one time for steeping, a ‘piece’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > corn, cereals, or grain > [noun] > on floor

floor1382

the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > malting > [noun] > spreading grain on floor > batch of grain on floor

floor1832

1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Ruth iii. 2 In this nyȝt he wynnewith the flore of his barli.

1832 W. Champion Maltster's Guide 43 The turning of his floors or pieces, by which alone the proper form of the root can be acquired.

1876 Wyllie in Encycl. Brit. IV. 268 Each steeping is called a ‘floor’ or piece, and must be laid in succession according to age.

a. A naturally level space or extended surface. Also = the ground (obsolete exc. dialect).

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > land > ground > [noun]

ground971

earthOE

fleta1000

foldOE

landOE

floor?a1400

soila1400

margin?a1425

yird1433

sulye1434

swardc1440

leaa1475

paithmentc1480

visagea1500

crust1555

mother earth1568

solum1829

carpet1918

deck1925

dutty1925

the world > space > shape > flatness or levelness > [noun] > flat or level surface or side

floor?a1400

plain?a1425

pane1434

smoothc1440

platform1551

superficies1571

flat1624

level1634

plane1663

sole1711

the world > the earth > land > landscape > level land > [noun] > level place or plain

fieldeOE

wong971

field landOE

woldc1220

flat1296

plainc1325

field placec1384

champaign?a1400

floor?a1400

smeethc1440

plain-land1487

weald1544

champian1589

camp1605

level1623

campaign1628

planure1632

campania1663

esplanade1681

flatland1735

vlakte1785

steppe1837

?a1400 Morte Arth. 3250 With þe drowghte of þe daye alle drye ware þe flores!

1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 234 The vpper crust or floure of the earth.

1638 J. Milton Lycidas in Obsequies 25 in Justa Edouardo King Sunk though he be beneath the watry floore.

1692 J. Ray Dissol. World (1693) iii. v. 302 Great Banks or Floors of Earth.

1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Pastorals vi, in tr. Virgil Wks. 27 His rosie Wreath was..Born by the tide of Wine, and floating on the floor.

1820 P. B. Shelley Cloud in Prometheus Unbound 198 The moon, Glides glimmering o'er my fleece-like floor.

1839 H. W. Longfellow Celestial Pilot 3 Down in the west upon the ocean floor.

1865 T. Garland List Words Common Use W. Cornwall in Jrnl. Royal Inst. Cornwall Apr. 48 Floor, a grass meadow.

1871 L. Stephen Playground of Europe (1894) ix. 198 Forests of pine rise steeply from the meadow floor.

b. the floor (Cricket colloquial): the ground. So to put a catch on the floor: to fail to hold it.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [noun] > surface of ground

carpet1882

the floor1903

1903 Strand Mag. 25 624/2 A large majority of them [sc. catches] were ‘put on the floor’.

1960 Times 14 June 16/1 With the field drawn tight around the bat and catches being snapped up off the floor.

†8. An area or region. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > [noun] > defined or limited portion of space > a particular extent or region

coastc1320

confinec1400

quarterc1400

region?1537

leet1567

demesne1597

floor1626

area1700

department1832

parallel1887

1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §255 Both of them [visibles and audibles] spread themselves in Round, and fill a whole Floare or Orbe vnto certaine Limits.

†9. = bed n. 8. Obsolete. rare. [Compare Middle High German vluor sown field.]

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > gardening > garden > division or part of garden > [noun] > bed or plot > bed in kitchen-garden

floor1600

ridge1717

1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique ii. iv. 206 Of the disposing or appointing of the floores of the kitchin garden.

III. A stratum or foundation.

10. A surface on which something rests; a foundation.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > low position > [noun] > condition of being placed under > that which lies under > base on which a thing rests > surface or area

floor1556

basal area1610

bedding1611

bed1633

plan1723

floor area1887

1556 J. Withals Short Dict. (new ed.) sig. Mi/2 A floore or foundation, wherevpon buyldyng is set.

1768 Smeaton Rep. (1797) I. 330 The arches I would recommend are of 12 feet wide, and 6 feet from the floor to the springer.

1969 Jane's Freight Containers 1968–9 18/3 Freight Container Components... Floor. Component supporting the payload.

11. The stratum upon which a seam of coal, etc. immediately lies.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > minerals > mineral deposits > features of stratum or vein > [noun] > material below

holing-stuff1819

floor1869

holing1882

undergoing1883

1869 R. B. Smyth Gold Fields Victoria 611 Floor, a false bottom, with washdirt lying on it.

1878 T. H. Huxley Physiography (ed. 2) 235 Vegetable remains are also met with in rocks beneath the coal, forming what is called the floor.

1883 in W. S. Gresley Gloss. Terms Coal Mining (at cited word)

IV. A layer: = bed n. III.

12. A layer, a stratum; a horizontal course.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > structure of the earth > structural features > sedimentary formation > [noun] > stratum

coursec1430

couch1661

stratum1671

dess1673

strata1676

bed1684

floor1692

flooring1697

stratificationa1703

rock1712

liea1728

lay-bed1728

post1794

the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > covering > a layer > [noun]

leyne?c1390

flake1577

lain1577

lay1588

stratum1599

bed1600

layer1615

strata1676

floor1692

laying1703

1692 J. Ray Dissol. World (1732) ii. iv. 127 Many Beds or Floors of all kinds of Sea-Shells.

1778 W. Pryce Mineralogia Cornubiensis 321 A Floor is a bed of Ore in a Lode.

1851 T. Wright & G. F. Richardson Introd. Geol. (new ed.) i. 7 In the case of tin it occasionally spreads out into a flat mass, technically called a floor.

13. A unit of measurement used for embankment work (see quots.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [noun] > units of length or distance > rod, pole, or perch > in embankment work

float1707

floor1707

marsh rod1788

1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry xv. 309 Banks are measured by the..Floor, which is eighteen Foot square and one deep.

1797 Trans. Soc. Arts 15 148 A floor of earth is twenty feet square, and one foot deep.

1877 in E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincs. [= 400 cubic feet].

Compounds

General attributive.

C1. Simple attributive.

floor area n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > low position > [noun] > condition of being placed under > that which lies under > base on which a thing rests > surface or area

floor1556

basal area1610

bedding1611

bed1633

plan1723

floor area1887

1887 Pall Mall Gaz. 9 Nov. 13/2 The..floor area of the large hall having been fully occupied.

floor-covering n.

ΚΠ

1885 List of Subscribers Exchange Syst. (United Telephone Co.) (ed. 6) 122 CorticineFloor Covering Co., Limited, 112 Queen Victoria Street, E.C.

1986 K. Moore Moving House x. 121 She was also taking over the dull but still serviceable floor-covering of the flat which she meant to enliven by a couple of her favourite rugs.

floor-joist n.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > framework of building > [noun] > joist

joist1379

joist-tree1566

travature1730

case bay1733

floor-joist1859

1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede II. ii. xix. 70 A difficulty about a floor-joist or a window-frame.

floor level n.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [noun]

fleta1000

floorc1000

floorth1303

loftingc1540

contignation1592

loft1596

contabulation1615

flooring1624

planchera1825

contablature1827

ground1847

Rory O'More1857

floor level1874

Rory1938

1874 J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Parish Churches 127 The steps and floor levels.

floor-slab n.

ΚΠ

1936 Discovery Feb. 56/1 The two principal floor-slabs..were of a specially hard kind of granite.

1963 Gloss. Build. Terms (B.S.I.) 18 Floor slab, a slab forming the continuous loadbearing structure of a floor and spanning between supports or laid on the ground.

floor-space n.

ΚΠ

1876 J. S. Ingram Centennial Exposition v. 150 It occupied about one-seventh of the entire floor-space in that structure.

1930 Times Educ. Suppl. 23 Aug. 363/2 The small floor-space of the war museum.

floor-stone n.

ΚΠ

1927 Blackwood's Mag. Apr. 527 Little of the floorstone remains.

1956 E. Pound tr. Sophocles Women of Trachis 30 Seemed to corrode of itself. Ate itself up, there on the floor-stones.

floor-tile n.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > clay compositions > baked clay > tile > [noun] > for paving or flooring

paving tile1325

pantilea1777

floor-tile1894

1894 Antiquary Aug. 41 the floor-tiles of these hearths..have been burnt white.

floor-mounted adj.

ΚΠ

1962 Times 25 May 18/5 The cranked, floor-mounted gear lever.

C2. Special combinations.

floor-arch n. (see quot.).

ΚΠ

1884 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Suppl. 349/1 Floor Arch, an arch with a flat extrados.

floor-bank n. (see quot. 1744).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > hedging > [noun] > ridge on which hedge is

table1664

floor-bank1744

hedge-bank1776

tabling1843

1744 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman Jan. xii. 93 What we call a Flower-bank; that is, some Earth that lies next the Hedge, thrown over the Roots with a Spade..so that with the first Original, or first raised Flower-bank, the whole Rise of Earth is not above a Foot.

1805 Priest in Ann. Agric. 43 586 The ditches will be filled up, so as to form what are called floor-banks.

floor-frame n. (a) the framework of the floor in a vessel; (b) U.S. the main frame of the body of a railway-carriage underneath the floor.

ΚΠ

1775 N. D. Falck Philos. Diss. Diving Vessel 4 A Floor frame of six beams athwart ship.

floor-guide n. (see quots.).

ΚΠ

1855 J. Ogilvie Suppl. Imperial Dict. Floor-guide in ship-building, a narrow flexible piece of timber placed between the floor-riband and the keel.

floor-hanger n. (see quots.).

ΚΠ

1884 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Suppl. 349/1 Floor Hanger, a shaft bearing fastened to the floor.

floor-head n. (a) the upper end of one of the floor-timbers in a vessel; (b) (see quot. 1867).

ΚΠ

1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine Rung-heads, the upper ends of the floor-timbers, which are..more properly called floor-heads.

1856 R. H. Dana Seaman's Friend (new ed.) 5 When the ballast is iron, it is stowed up to the floor-heads.

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor-head, the third diagonal, terminating the length of the floors near the bilge of the ship.

floor-hollow n. (see quot.).

ΚΠ

1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 118 Floor hollow, the inflected curve that terminates the floor next the keel, and to which the floor-hollow mould is made.

floor lamp n. one that stands on the floor; U.S., a tall lamp designed to stand on the floor.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > [noun] > lamp > standard or floor lamp

standard lamp1794

standard1885

floor lamp1892

1892 Daily News 21 Nov. 2/6 The home demand for telescope floor lamps is still growing.

1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 255 Polished brass telescopic floor lamps.

1940 C. McCullers Heart is Lonely Hunter i. i. 8 He walked into a store one day and hauled out a floor lamp without paying for it.

1965 J. M. Cain Magician's Wife (1966) ii. 18 He..went into the living room, and without turning the floor lamps on, sat down in a chair by a window and stared out at the gathering dusk.

floor-layer n. U.S. a workman who lays down floors.

ΚΠ

1863 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 10 May 4/6 The newly formed union of floor-layers.

floor-laying n. the operation of laying down floors.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > building or providing with specific parts > [noun] > flooring

planchering1411

planking?a1450

sollaring1545

flooring1632

planching1706

floor-laying1884

1884 Internat. Health Exhib. Official Catal. 83/1 Improved method of Floor-laying without nails.

floor-leader n. U.S. a leader in debate, esp. in legislative assemblies.

ΚΠ

1899 Congress. Rec. 11 Feb. 1764/2 Congress has witnessed very few more successful floor leaders.

1954 Encounter Mar. 59/1 Congressman John McCormack, Democratic floor-leader in the House.

floor-length adj. reaching to the floor.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [adjective] > of specific length

foot-sideOE

sideOE

long-side1575

sidelong1575

nock-shorn1632

talarian1671

three-quarter1713

overknee1831

talaric1853

high water1856

ankle-length1876

long1882

hip-length1893

knee-length1895

thigh-length1895

fingertip1920

mid-calf1931

wrist-length1935

floor-length1939

cropped1954

waltz-length1958

two-thirds1963

calf-length1965

midi1968

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > covers or hangings > [adjective] > having hangings > reaching the floor (of hangings)

floor-length1939

1939 Ottawa Evening Jrnl. 26 June 8/4 The bride wore a floor-length gown of white chiffon over taffeta.

1967 E. Short Embroidery & Fabric Collage iii. 74 A round table in a bedroom or drawing-room may sometimes have a floor-length cover permanently in position.

floor-light n. (see quot.).

ΚΠ

1884 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Suppl. 349/1 Floor-light, a frame with glass panes in a floor.

floor man n. one who helps to attract customers to a mock auction.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > buying > buyer > [noun] > bidder > one who runs up bidding

goad1608

setter1699

white bonnet1760

puffer1765

sweetener1823

jolly1856

runner-up1860

floor man1928

1928 Daily Express 3 Mar. 7 Meader and Solomons were what is known as ‘floor men’, or..‘pitch gatherers’.

floor manager n. (a) U.S. a ‘master of ceremonies’ at a dance; (b) originally U.S. a shop-walker; (c) U.S. one who organizes support for a candidate in the hall of a political convention; (d) in television production: see quot. 1961.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > selling > seller > [noun] > shopkeeper > shopworkers

shopman1662

window clerk1770

clerka1790

shop attendant1813

shoppie1818

shop assistant1821

shop-walker1825

counter-jumper1829

show-woman1848

assistant1853

counterman1853

counter-skipper1858

floor-walker1876

floor manager1887

window man1887

frontsman1896

inworker1909

lot attendant1934

sales clerk1934

society > communication > broadcasting > television > production of television broadcast > [noun] > people involved in television production > others

production director1915

production manager1927

television engineer1930

production assistant1932

vision-mixer1938

TV engineer1946

lighting cameraman1947

floor manager1960

helmer1974

showrunner1989

1887 Harper's Mag. May 967/1 Jerry, as one of the floor-managers, was gorgeous.

1892 Harper's Mag. Feb. 439/1 Like the floor-walkers in the stores, they're all floor or aisle managers now.

1913 J. London Valley of Moon iii. xiii An' here's you makin' rough~house at a dance, an' I'm the floor manager, an' I gotta put you out.

1924 W. S. Hayward Retail Handbk. 74 The floor manager is the first person to arrive in the department and the last to leave.

1930 J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement vi. 292 Tells me she's had some bother with the buyer or floor manager.

1953 Manch. Guardian Weekly 3 Sept. 3 The convention floor manager's hard-won knowledge.

1960 O. Skilbeck ABC of Film & TV Working Terms 55 Floor manager.

1961 G. Millerson Technique Television Production 14 The floor-manager is the director's contact man on the studio floor, and checks staging, action and performers on his behalf.

1966 S. B. Jackman Davidson Affair i. 17 I..saw the floor-manager's hand drop to cue me in..and turned to face the camera.

floor pattern n. (see quot. 1964).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > dancing > movements or steps > [noun] > figure

figure1636

leading1694

floor pattern1943

1943 M. Mayo Amer. Square Dance 11 It is well also to picture clearly in the mind what the dance will look like and what the floor pattern will be.

1958 J. Winearls Mod. Dance 130 (caption) Floor Pattern.

1964 W. G. Raffé Dict. Dance 374/2 Floor pattern: the track, or footsteps, traced by the dancer on the stage.

floor-pipe n. a hot-air pipe laid along the floor of a conservatory.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > heating or making hot > that which or one who heats > [noun] > a device for heating or warming > duct or pipe conveying heat

sidewaya1387

caliduct1624

floor-pipe1691

stovepipe1691

trill1707

flue1715

hot-water pipe1744

riser1876

flow-pipe1904

1691 J. Evelyn Kalendarium Hortense (ed. 8) 162 The fresh Air..circulating thorow the Orifice of the Floor-pipe.

floor-plan n. (a) Shipbuilding (see quot. 1867); (b) Architecture (see quot. 1874).

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > [noun] > plans of buildings or structures

ground-plot1563

model1570

ichnography1598

skiagraphy1636

plane1639

skiagraph1648

plain1659

plan1664

planography?1668

scheme1703

ground plan1731

working plan1767

working drawing1785

detail1819

floor-plan1867

Z-plan1887

block plan1909

master plan1914

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > shipbuilding and repairing > [noun] > shipbuilding > lines, sections, or elevations

middle line?c1400

sweep1627

lines1680

touch1711

waterline1750

station1754

sheer-draught1769

body plan1781

sheer-line1797

sheer-plan1797

touchline1797

water plane1798

centreline1806

buttock line1816

crown1830

scrieve1830

top-breadth line1846

wave-line1846

floor-plan1867

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor-plans, longitudinal sections, whereon are represented the water-lines and ribband-lines.

1874 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. I. 889/1 Floor-plan..(Architecture) a horizontal section, showing the thickness of the walls and partitions, the arrangement of the passages, apartments, and openings at the level of the principal, or receiving floor of the house.

floor-plate n. (a) Shipbuilding (see quot. 1883); (b) Mechanical Engineering = footplate n. 1.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > parts and equipment of vehicles generally > [noun] > other parts

body bolt1810

safety chain1832

footplate1833

aisle1835

headlining1848

bumper1867

floor-plate1869

tension bar1879

suicide door1960

bull bar1967

roo bar1973

1869 E. J. Reed Shipbuilding xix. 407 The floor-plates are now required to extend to a perpendicular height up the bilges of twice the depth of the floors amidships.

1883 W. C. Russell Sailors' Lang. Floorplates, formerly plates in the bottom of an iron ship corresponding with the floor-timbers in wooden ones.

1888 Lockwood's Dict. Mech. Engin. Floor plates, foot plates.

floor polish n. a manufactured substance for rendering floors glossy.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > polishing > [noun] > polish > types of

pumice1422

emery1481

foam of copperas1538

pumex1589

emery-stone1610

smiris1610

putty1663

rottenstone1677

tutty1731

French rouge?1745

rotstone1767

plate powder1786

emery-powder18..

rouge1808

waxing1825

black lead1830

tin-putty1839

red stuff1844

stove-polish1858

crocusa1861

crocus-powder1873

furniture cream1873

grit-emery1884

silver polish1895

Ronuk1896

Brasso1905

floor polish1907

lavender cream1926

lavender polish1961

lavender wax1970

1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 18/2 Floor polish.

1926 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 2 July 4/5 (advt.) Floor polishes, you may say, are pretty much alike. But try ‘Poliflor’ just once and you will immediately realize what a vast difference there can be.

floor-polisher n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > polishing > [noun] > one who > one who polishes floors

floor-polisher1895

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > polishing > [noun] > implement for polishing > machine for polishing floors

floor-polisher1895

1895 Army & Navy Co-op. Soc. Price List 184/2 Floor Polisher, extra large, with swivel joint, including handle.

1897 Westm. Gaz. 7 Dec. 10/2 One man only will be allowed on the premises—the floor-polisher.

1939–40 Army & Navy Stores Catal. 114/1 Floor polisher... Double sided. One side for applying wax. One side for polishing.

floor-riband n. (see quots.).

ΚΠ

1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 118 Floor riband, the riband next below the floor-heads which supports the floors.

floor-rider n. (see quot.).

ΚΠ

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor-riders, knees brought in from side to side over the floor ceiling and kelson, to support the bottom, if bilged or weak, for heavy cargo.

floor show n. an entertainment presented on the floor of a restaurant, night-club, etc.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > variety, etc. > [noun] > cabaret

cabaret1912

floor show1927

1927 Stage Year Bk. 69 The opportunities and scope for employment [in vaudeville] of an artist are practically unlimited, apart from the large field in musical productions, cabaret floor shows, etc.

1931 J. Durante & J. C. Kofoed Night Clubs 4 A floor show with six principals and no chorus.

1959 Times 2 Mar. 12/7 Snippets from a night-club floor-show of resplendent tattiness.

floor-sweep n. (see quot.).

ΚΠ

1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 119 Floor-sweeps, the radii that sweep the heads of the floors.

floor-timber n. (also floor-timbers) (a) (see quot. 1867); (b) U.S. timber for flooring.

ΚΠ

1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. ii. 2 They lay the Rungs, called floore timbers..thwart the keele.

1851 C. Cist Sketches & Statistics Cincinnati 325 Floor timbers..are here furnished.

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floors or Floor-Timbers, those parts of the ship's timbers which are placed immediately across the keel.

floor-waiter n. a waiter who serves on one floor of a hotel.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > serving food > [noun] > server of food > in inn or restaurant

aproner1611

waiter1664

garçon1788

tendera1825

hash slinger1868

officer1886

Robert1886

hasher1891

tender1901

hot potato1909

floor-waiter1930

waitperson1973

waitron1980

1930 A. Bennett Imperial Palace xvii. 109 Once he had memorably discovered fourth-floor silver in the fifth-floor service~room..which disconcerted all the floor-waiters.

1967 G. Greene May we borrow your Husband? 19 Peter's mislaid his tie. He thinks the floor-waiter has purloined it.

floor-walker n. U.S. = shop-walker n. at shop n., adj., and int. Compounds 3.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > selling > seller > [noun] > shopkeeper > shopworkers

shopman1662

window clerk1770

clerka1790

shop attendant1813

shoppie1818

shop assistant1821

shop-walker1825

counter-jumper1829

show-woman1848

assistant1853

counterman1853

counter-skipper1858

floor-walker1876

floor manager1887

window man1887

frontsman1896

inworker1909

lot attendant1934

sales clerk1934

1876 Scribner's Monthly Feb. 599/2 I next went into a store a few doors further up Broadway. When I entered I approached the floor-walker.

1884 Milnor (Dakota Territory) Teller 30 July These Boston merchants stationed their floor-walkers at the place appointed by the Philadelphia agent.

1942 E. Paul Narrow Street iv. 32 The tenant of this room and bath was a floor-walker from the Samaritaine.

floorward adj. directed towards the floor.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [adjective] > directed towards the floor

floorward1887

1887 Pall Mall Gaz. 12 Mar. 12/1 A constantly repeated floor-ward glance of bashfulness and modesty.

floor-ward adv. (also floor-wards) towards the floor.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > [adverb] > to the earth or ground

earthward1646

earthwards1650

groundward1855

floor-ward1863

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [adverb] > towards the floor

floor-ward1863

1863 Reader 31 Oct. 502 He is bundled down floorwards.

Draft additions 1993

floor exercise n. a physical exercise performed on the floor; spec. in Gymnastics (chiefly in plural), a co-ordinated routine of tumbles and other exercises performed without the use of apparatus, esp. as a competitive event.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > gymnastics > [noun] > specific type

rhythmic gymnastics1908

floor exercise1957

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > gymnastics > [noun] > actions or positions

vaulting1531

cross-step1728

still-vaulting1854

roll1858

trampolining1867

planche1878

handstand1890

rollover1891

trapezing1894

press1901

straddle1905

kip1909

upstart1909

headstand1915

round-off1917

neck-roll1920

undergrip1920

pike1928

swivel hips1943

thigh lift1949

overswing1955

shoulder stand1956

stand1956

floor exercise1957

squat1959

turnaround1959

salto1972

Tsukahara1972

1920 Herbert & Junker tr. Knudsen's Text-bk. Gymnastics 290 Agility exercises on the floor have this advantage over many other exercises, that they claim neither gymnasium, apparatus, nor teacher.]

1957 Encycl. Brit. XI. 20/2 The ‘Olympic six’ for men comprise floor exercises, work on the horizontal bar, parallel bars and rings, pommelled horse and vaulting.

1983 E. Fowler Keep Fit viii. 88 This may be followed by a floor exercise for the abdominal muscles, where the body weight is taken by the floor.

Draft additions December 2002

floor-filler n. colloquial (originally and chiefly British) a pop or dance record which, when played at a discotheque or nightclub, guarantees a crowded dance floor.

ΚΠ

1987 Blues & Soul 3–16 Feb. 18/4 The first album, ‘Anthems’, boasts ten 12″ versions of tracks that are dead cert, sure-fire end-of-the-night singalongs or instant floorfillers.

2001 Heat 27 Oct. 94/3 Crunchy guitars and chant-along vocals make this a unique floor-filler they're already dubbing ‘punk house’.

Draft additions June 2021

floor cushion n. a large cushion placed on the floor for use as seating.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > support or rest > [noun] > cushion > floor cushion

boss1694

floor cushion1839

puff1877

zabuton1879

pouf1884

beanbag1969

Sagbag1974

1839 W. Knight Oriental Outl. (Gloss.) p. ii/2 Floor-cushion, shilteh.

1863 Little Amer. 2 Nov. 17/2 The silken floor cushions on every hand are far more comfortable than the chairs.

1921 Evening Tel. & Post (Dundee) 11 Mar. 8/2 She came forward and sank onto an enormous floor-cushion of gold and copper velvet.

2017 K. Shamsie Home Fire iv. 92 They sat cross-legged at the very edges of the janglingly colourful floor cushions.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

floorv.

Brit.

/flɔː/, U.S.

/flɔr/

Etymology: < floor n.¹

a. transitive. To cover or furnish with a floor or floors, in various senses of the word; to pave. Also with over.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > building or providing with specific parts > build or provide with specific parts [verb (transitive)] > floor

floorc1420

sollar1648

under-floor1778

the world > space > relative position > low position > put in low position [verb (transitive)] > have position under > constitute the base of

support1548

substrate1578

solea1643

floor1698

found1728

base1858

under-floor1884

c1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 334 Eke pave or floore it wele in somer tyde.

c1520 in J. T. Fowler Memorials Church SS. Peter & Wilfrid, Ripon (1888) III. 201 Flowryng the lofte per v dies.

1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xxxi. 113 [He] must haue his ground flowred so..as in wrastling not hard to fall on.

1660 S. Pepys Diary 4 Sept. (1970) I. 239 Looking over the Joyners..flooring my dining-roome.

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 226 [Persia] is floored with vast Sands pent in by the surrounding Sprouts of Taurus.

1782 W. Cowper Expostulation in Poems 16 Fiery suns..and oceans floored with ice.

1808 C. Vancouver Gen. View Agric. Devon Concl. 473 The feeding and sleeping place floored with flat stones.

1823 Examiner 442/2 The pit was floored over to the height of the stage.

1858 B. Taylor Northern Trav. iii. 18 Thick fir forests, floored with bright-green moss.

b. To form, or serve as, the floor of.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > valley > [verb (transitive)] > be valley floor

floor1639

1639 G. Daniel Ecclus. i. 4 The Sands which floore the Sea.

1854 J. D. Hooker Himalayan Jrnls. II. xviii. 44 300 feet of deposit, which once floored its valleys.

a. To bring to the floor or ground; to knock down in boxing; to bring down (game). to be floored (of a horseman): to have a fall.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > causing to come or go down > cause to come or go down [verb (transitive)] > bring to the ground/lay low

layc888

afelleOE

to throw downa1250

groundc1275

to lay to ground, to earth (Sc. at eird)c1275

stoopc1275

evena1382

abatec1390

to bring downa1400

falla1400

welt?a1400

throwa1450

tumble1487

succumb1490

strewa1500

vaila1592

flat1607

level1614

floor1642

to fetch down1705

drop1726

supplant1751

society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride a horse (or other animal) [verb (intransitive)] > fall off

wendc1300

flit1430

unhorse1583

to be floored1826

to come (fall, get) a cropper1858

to come (also have) a buster1874

to come off1874

volunteer1890

to take a toss1917

the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > falling > fall [verb (intransitive)] > fall down or from erect position > specifically of person or animal

to light lowc1225

wendc1300

to seek to the earth or groundc1330

tumblea1375

stretchc1400

to take a fall1413

to blush to the eartha1500

to come down1603

to go to grassa1640

to be floored1826

to take a spilla1845

to come (fall, get) a cropper1858

to hunt grass1872

to come (also have) a buster1874

to hit the deck1954

1642 Lanc. Tracts. (Chetham Soc.) 79 He commanded them all to shoote at once, and flore the enemie, if possible they could.

1812 Sporting Mag. 39 18 Crib..floored him with a blow of great strength.

1826 Sporting Mag. New Ser. XVII. 270 My friend was floored, and Mr. Leader..rode over him.

1829 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 10 My wild swan, that I floored yesterday.

1866 F. Seebohm Oxf. Reformers iv. §4 Whereupon the poor boy was forthwith floored then and there, and flogged.

b. slang. (See quot. 1819.)

ΚΠ

1819 J. H. Vaux New Vocab. Flash Lang. in Memoirs II. 175 Floor'd, a person who is so drunk, as to be incapable of standing, is said to be floor'd.

3. In various figurative uses. colloquial.

a. To confound, nonplus; to flabbergast, puzzle. In schoolboy slang, to be or get floored: to grow confused, be at a loss, fail, break down.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > perplexity, bewilderment > act of perplexing > confuse, perplex, bewilder [verb (transitive)] > nonplus

stagger1556

gravel1566

set1577

trump1586

bumbaze1587

puzzlec1595

ground1597

stunt1603

nonplus1605

pose1605

stumble1605

buzzard1624

quandary1681

bamboozle1712

hobble1762

stump1807

have1816

floor1830

flummox1837

stick1851

get1868

to stick up1897

buffalo1903

1830 S. T. Coleridge Table-talk 8 July (1884) The other day I was what you would call floored by a Jew.

1840 B. Disraeli Corr. with Sister (1886) 158 My facts flabbergasted him, as well as..Hume, who was ludicrously floored.

1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. iv. 294 If you hadn't been floored yourself now at first lesson.

1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. v. 316 He's never going to get floored.

1886 J. Ruskin Præterita I. xi. 359 The consummate manner in which I had floored our tutor.

b. To overcome in any way; to beat, defeat, prove too much for. to floor the odds (see quot. 1893).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > overcome or overwhelm > completely or overthrow

shrenchc897

allayOE

fellOE

quellOE

to bring to the groundc1175

forlesec1200

to lay downa1225

acastc1225

accumberc1275

cumber1303

confoundc1330

overthrowc1375

cumrayc1425

overquell?c1450

overwhelvec1450

to nip in (also by, on) the head (also neck, pate)?a1500

prostrate1531

quash1556

couch1577

unhorse1577

prosternate1593

overbeata1616

unchariot1715

floor1828

quench1841

to knock over1853

fling1889

to throw down1890

steamroller1912

wipe1972

zonk1973

1828 E. Bulwer-Lytton Pelham I. xxx. 263 It is very singular that you who play so much better should not have floored him yesterday evening.

1834 J. H. Newman Lett. & Corr. (1891) II. 22 I am floored as to the professorship.

1836 B. Disraeli Corr. with Sister (1886) 50 I was the only man who could floor O'Connell.

1882 Daily Tel. 16 Nov. 3/5 The odds were, nevertheless, floored from an unexpected quarter.

1893 J. S. Farmer Slang Floor (Racing), When a low-priced horse pulls off the event in the face of the betting, it is said to floor the odds.

c. To do thoroughly, get through (a piece of work) successfully. to floor a paper (University slang): to answer every question in it.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > completing > complete (an action or piece of work) [verb (transitive)] > successfully

floor1852

to put through1888

to bring off1928

the mind > attention and judgement > answer > [verb (intransitive)] > have an answer > to every question

to floor a paper1852

1852 C. A. Bristed Five Years Eng. University I. 186 Our best classic had not time to floor the paper.

1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. I. x. 167 I've nearly floored my little-go work.

d. To empty, finish (a bottle, etc.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > drink intoxicating liquor > drink up or drain

quax1509

toom?a1513

quaff1534

to play off1598

upsy-friese1617

bumbaste1640

dust1673

fuddlec1680

whemmel1721

toota1774

buzz1785

kill1833

floor1837

lower1920

slam1982

1837 B. D. Walsh tr. Aristophanes Acharnians v. ii, in Comedies 113 I Was the first man that floored his gallon.

1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. II. viii. 138 I have a few bottles of old wine left; we may as well floor them.

e. intransitive. ? To commit a fatal blunder.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > an error, mistake > blunder [verb (intransitive)]

shail1528

blunder1711

floor1835

to make a bloomer1889

pull1913

to drop a brick1916

boob1935

to put up a black1939

goof1941

to screw up1942

to drop a bollock1948

to drop a clanger1948

to cock up1974

1835 J. H. Newman Lett. & Corr. (1891) II. 97 We floored so miserably at the Reformation, that [etc.].

†4. transitive. ‘To bring forward in argument, to table’ (Jamieson). Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > testing > debate, disputation, argument > putting forward for discussion > put forward [verb (transitive)] > use as argument

to lay forthc1405

adduce?a1425

object1536

argue1652

floora1687

a1687 R. McWard Επαγωνισμοι (1723) 177 I know not..whom your Proposal..strikes against; save that you floor it, to fall on some, whom you mind to hit right or wrong.

5. To place upon (something) as a floor.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > relative position > high position > position upon > be upon (something) [verb (transitive)] > place (a thing) upon > place upon as a base

floor1871

1871 E. B. Tylor Primitive Culture II. xiii. 68 The doctrine of a Heaven, floored upon a firmament, or placed in the upper air.

6. Art slang. To hang in the lowest row on the walls of a picture-gallery.

ΚΠ

1884 American 8 376 One R.A. is ‘skied’ and another ‘floored’.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	floor
释义	floorn.¹ Brit. /flɔː/, U.S. /flɔr/ Forms: Old English flór, Middle English flor, Middle English–1600s flore, flour(e, Middle English–1500s, 1800s dialect flur(e, 1500s Scottish fluire, (1500s floyyre), 1500s–1600s floar(e, 1500s–1700s flower, 1600s floore, 1600s– floor. Etymology: Old English flór strong masculine and feminine, corresponds to Middle Dutch, modern Dutch vloer, Middle High German vluor masculine and feminine (modern German flur feminine field, plain, masculine floor), Old Norse flór floor of a cowstall < Germanic floru-s < pre-Germanic plāru-s or plōru-s. Compare Old Irish lár, Welsh llawr* of same meaning < pre-Celtic plār-. I. In a house or other structure. 1. a. The layer of boards, brick, stone, etc. in an apartment, on which people tread; the under surface of the interior of a room. to mop or wipe the floor with: see mop v.³ 2b, wipe v. 10e. ΚΠ c888 Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos.* i He gefeoll niwol of dune on þa flor. OE Beowulf 725 On fagne flor feond treddode. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15566 & all he warrp ut i Þe flor Þe bordess. & te sillferr. 1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (1724) 288 Þe flor to brac vnder hem. a1400 Isumbras 653 The knyghtes..fande the golde right in the flore. 1528 D. Lindsay Dreme 13 Sumtyme, playand fairsis on the flure. 1681 R. Knox Hist. Relation Ceylon 116 They dig an hole in the floar of their house. 1718 Free-thinker No. 17. 2 She..walks two or three Turns in a Fret over the Floor. 1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth xi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. II. 309 He threw his glove upon the floor of the church. 1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. v. 40 The stone floor was dark with moisture. b. In extended sense: The base of any cavity; the bottom of a lake, sea, etc. Also figurative: a minimum, esp. of prices or wages. Cf. ceiling n. 6d. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > low position > [noun] > lowest position > bottom or lowest part > bottom of a cavity groundc825 floorOE society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > [noun] > specific price level trigger-point1891 support level1906 ceiling1934 roof1939 floor1941 support floor1942 society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > payment for labour or service > wage structures and scales > [noun] > level at which wages set > minimum level floor1959 OE Christ & Satan 317 Flor attre weol, hat under hæftum. c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme lxxviii. 41 in Coll. Wks. (1998) II. 107 Where the deepe did show his sandy flore. 1844 R. W. Emerson New Eng. Reformers in Wks. (1906) I. 268 They would know the worst, and tread the floor of hell. 1866 R. Tate Plain & Easy Acct. Mollusks Great Brit. iii. 48 The tongue forms the floor of the mouth. 1869 G. Rawlinson Man. Anc. Hist. 2 Found underneath the floors of caves. 1938 Reader's Digest Sept. 1 Even fair price ceilings and quality floors won't answer real needs unless an adequate supply of goods is made available. 1941 Time 21 July 70/3 Excuse for the silver-buying program and its artificial price floor..was to keep Western miners at work. 1949 Economist 24 Sept. 670/1 Price-floors were set for bituminous coal. 1959 Economist 11 Apr. 106/2 A floor of only £12 a week on the wages of British artists. †c. metonymically. Those who sit on the floor, as opposed to those who occupy elevated seats in token of rank or dignity. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social class > the common people > the common people of any group > [noun] floor1662 rank and file1828 rank1845 1662 W. Gurnall Christian in Armour: 3rd Pt. 145 Mean in their condition and rank, being of the floor and lowest of the people. 1683 R. North in State Trials (1811) IX. 193 Differences between him [the lord mayor] and the aldermen on the one side, and the floor or livery men on the other. d. spec. The floor of a studio where films or television programmes are shot; hence used allusively: (a) a film or television studio; (b) in on the floor, of a film: in production. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > cinematography > filming > [noun] > place for filming studio1909 location1914 lot1915 film set1916 sound stage1931 floor1937 society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > cinematography > filming > [adverb] > in production on the floor1937 1937 M. Robinson Continuity Girl v. 89 Rene was to be continuity. Mr. Kimmins asked me to come on the floor as her assistant. 1948 Ann. Reg. 1947 443 The inauguration of the modern Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer floors at Elstree. 1948 Observer 22 Feb. 5/1 At Elstree, only one film, the Guinea Pig, is on the floor. 1950 ‘E. Crispin’ Frequent Hearses i. 15 ‘How far has it [sc. a film] got?’ ‘It's not on the floor yet... I mean that they haven't actually started making it yet.’ 1957 M. Kennedy Heroes of Clone i. i. 13 I'll make a shooting script... It'll be something you can go on the floor with. 1971 R. Busby Deadlock xiii. 200 [He's] down there on the floor. We're doing one for the can and then he goes out live. 2. a. The framework or structure of joists, etc. supporting the flooring of a room. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > framework of building > [noun] > joist > collectively joisting1651 floor1679 naked flooring1819 1679 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. ix. Explan. Terms 167 Floor, in Carpentery, it is as well taken for the Fram'd work of Timber, as the Boarding over it. 1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 220 Bridging Floors, floors in which bridging joists are used. 1858 P. L. Simmonds Dict. Trade Products Floor, the timber, bricks &c. of the platform..on which the planks or flooring is laid. b. Applied to the ceiling of a room, in its relation to the apartment above. Also transferred of the sky. ΘΚΠ the world > the universe > sky, heavens > [noun] roofeOE welkinc825 heaveneOE heightOE heavenOE liftOE loftOE welkin1122 skies?a1289 firmamentc1290 skewa1300 spherea1300 skewsc1320 hemispherec1374 cope of heavenc1380 clouda1400 skya1425 elementc1485 axle-treea1522 scrowc1540 pole1572 horizona1577 vaulta1586 round?1593 the cope1596 pend1599 floor1600 canopy1604 cope1609 expansion1611 concameration1625 convex1627 concave1635 expansum1635 blue1647 the expanse1667 blue blanket1726 empyrean1727 carry1788 span1803 overhead1865 society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > roof > ceiling > [noun] roofeOE firstOE first-roofOE silour1424 siling1483 ceiling1535 loftingc1540 loft1596 floor1600 plafond1664 top1709 ceil1840 planchment1874 laquearia1922 overhead1942 1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice v. i. 58 Looke how the floore of heauen is thick inlayed with pattens of bright gold. View more context for this quotation 1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 931 Sticking up a broch or spit..to the floore over head. 1887 C. Bowen tr. Virgil Æneid i, in tr. Virgil in Eng. Verse 84 Then Cæsar..Bounding his throne by the Ocean, his fame by the firmament floor. 3. Nautical. a. (See quot. 1867.) ΚΠ a1618 W. Raleigh Disc. Invention Shipping 18 in Judicious & Select Ess. (1650) We have given longer Floares to our Ships, then in elder times, and better bearing under water. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor, the bottom of a vessel on each side of the kelson; but strictly taken, it is only so much of her bottom as she rests upon when aground. †b. The deck. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > part of vessel above water > [noun] > deck hatcha1375 orlop1420 over loftc1430 loft1488 deck1513 floor1683 main deck1730 1683 W. Hacke Coll. Orig. Voy. (1699) I. 37 We took up our Water Cask from out of the Main Hatch to the Floor, and cleared the Timbers amid-Ships. c. plural = floor-timber n. ΚΠ 1805 D. Steel Naval Archit. 378 In the Royal Navy..the floors are bolted through the keelson and keel. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floors or Floor-Timbers. 4. a. In legislative assemblies, the part of the house where the members sit, and from which they speak. Hence figurative. The right of speaking; as to get or obtain the floor. to take the floor: to get up to address a meeting; to take part in a debate. Chiefly U.S. ΘΚΠ society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > English or British parliament > [noun] > place of > parts of floor1774 gangway1818 lobby1845 back bench1874 front bench1891 the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse [verb (intransitive)] > take turn in conversation or debate to take the speech1612 to take the floor1804 to get or obtain the floor1816 to take up the ball1873 1774 J. Adams in J. Adams & A. Adams Familiar Lett. (1876) 12 He came upon the floor, and asked a member, ‘What state are you now in?’ 1804 Pitt Speeches (1806) IV. 354 The right honourable gentleman on the floor. 1811 B. Rush in J. Q. Adams' Wks. (1854) IX. 638 (note) It blazed forth..in the year 1776 upon the floor of Congress. 1816 J. Pickering Vocab. U.S. (at cited word) To get the floor; that is, to obtain an opportunity of taking part in a debate. 1880 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times III. xlvi. 391 The Conservatives get what American politicians call ‘the floor’. 1885 Manch. Examiner 15 May 6/1 Sauntering boldly up the floor of the House. 1886 Literary World (Boston) 11 Dec. 469/1 The President took the floor to second the above resolutions. 1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. I. xii. 157 The senator from Minnesota has the floor. 1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. I. xiii. 177 The member who first ‘obtains the floor’. b. In Courts of Law (see quot. 1867). ΚΠ 1867 J. J. S. Wharton Law-lexicon (ed. 4) Floor of the court, the part of the court between the judges and the first row of counsel. Parties who appear in person stand there. c. from the floor: of a question, speech, etc.: delivered by an individual (member, spectator, etc.), as opposed to the governing body, the ‘platform’. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > speech-making > [adjective] > of particular types of speeches characteristicala1628 internunciary1682 from the floor1966 1966 Rep. Comm. Inq. (Univ. of Oxf.) I. 234 Resolutions moved not by Council, but from the floor. 5. A set of rooms and landings in a house on the same or nearly the same level; a story. See first floor n. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > [noun] > floor or storey stagea1300 storeyc1384 loft1526 floor1585 sollar1585 contignation1592 roof1600 flat1801 piano1835 row1873 level1968 1585 J. Higgins tr. Junius Nomenclator 181 Trisiega..an house of three sollers, floores, stories or lofts one ouer another. 1611 B. Jonson Catiline i. sig. B2^v He that, building, stayes at one Floore, or the second, hath erected none. View more context for this quotation 1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 161. ⁋5 The lodgers on the first floor had stipulated that [etc.]. 1830 Ld. Tennyson Mariana vi, in Poems 18 Old footsteps trod the upper floors. 1831 J. Sinclair Corr. II. 330 Many buildings..are let in floors to mechanics. II. A level space or area. 6. a. An artificial platform, or levelled space, for the carrying on of some industry, esp. threshing. Cf. threshing-floor (see threshing floor n.). Also, a dance-floor; to take the floor: to take part in a dance. †Rarely, a structure to walk over. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > workplace > factory > [noun] > platform or space for carrying out industry floorc1000 society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [noun] fleta1000 floorc1000 floorth1303 loftingc1540 contignation1592 loft1596 contabulation1615 flooring1624 planchera1825 contablature1827 ground1847 Rory O'More1857 floor level1874 Rory1938 society > travel > means of travel > route or way > other means of passage or access > [noun] > a structure to walk over floorc1000 society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > [noun] > with reference to condition or situation > a structure to walk over floorc1000 society > leisure > dancing > place for dancing > [noun] > floor for dancing dancing-floor1839 floor1839 dance floor1874 dance-floor1928 c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Luke (Corpus Cambr.) iii. 17 He feormað his bernes flore. c1300 K. Alis. 6104 Of hurdles of bruggen they made flores, And so they wente into the mores. c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xviii. 83 Þan þai gader þe fruyt and..layez it apon a flure til it becom blakk and runkled. 1574 J. Baret Aluearie F 721 A floore where corne is threshed, area. 1702 in London Gaz. No. 3790/4 Every Cistern..Kiln, Floor, Room, or other Place..made use of for the Wetting or Steeping of Corn. 1775 B. Romans Conc. Nat. Hist. E. & W. Florida 166 One or two platforms..called drying floors. 1839 W. Carleton Fardorougha (1848) iv. 46 Answer Mrs. Fogarty, statin' fedher you'll take a month's larnin' on the flure. 1851 M. Reid Scalp Hunters I. vii. 99 We returned to our seats again; and after refreshing..again ‘took the floor’. 1884 C. T. Davis Pract. Treat. Manuf. Bricks (1889) v. 128 The ‘floors’..the level places where the bricks are moulded. 1884 L. Troubridge Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 171 We all went to the New Club Ball..such a floor, such music, and such a partner. 1888 Lockwood's Dict. Mech. Engin. Floor, the sand bed of a foundry is termed the floor. 1938 G. Greene Brighton Rock ii. i. 68 The floor was cleared for the last cabaret of the evening. 1967 R. Rendell New Lease of Death viii. 82 ‘Hard to make conversation when you're dancing.’.. ‘Like “Don't you think this is a good floor”?’ figurative.1782 W. Cowper Expostulation in Poems 302 Where flails of oratory thresh the floor. b. transferred. The corn, etc. placed on a ‘floor’. In Malting, A batch or quantity of grain laid at one time for steeping, a ‘piece’. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > corn, cereals, or grain > [noun] > on floor floor1382 the world > food and drink > drink > manufacture of alcoholic drink > malting > [noun] > spreading grain on floor > batch of grain on floor floor1832 1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Ruth iii. 2 In this nyȝt he wynnewith the flore of his barli. 1832 W. Champion Maltster's Guide 43 The turning of his floors or pieces, by which alone the proper form of the root can be acquired. 1876 Wyllie in Encycl. Brit. IV. 268 Each steeping is called a ‘floor’ or piece, and must be laid in succession according to age. 7. a. A naturally level space or extended surface. Also = the ground (obsolete exc. dialect). ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > land > ground > [noun] ground971 earthOE fleta1000 foldOE landOE floor?a1400 soila1400 margin?a1425 yird1433 sulye1434 swardc1440 leaa1475 paithmentc1480 visagea1500 crust1555 mother earth1568 solum1829 carpet1918 deck1925 dutty1925 the world > space > shape > flatness or levelness > [noun] > flat or level surface or side floor?a1400 plain?a1425 pane1434 smoothc1440 platform1551 superficies1571 flat1624 level1634 plane1663 sole1711 the world > the earth > land > landscape > level land > [noun] > level place or plain fieldeOE wong971 field landOE woldc1220 flat1296 plainc1325 field placec1384 champaign?a1400 floor?a1400 smeethc1440 plain-land1487 weald1544 champian1589 camp1605 level1623 campaign1628 planure1632 campania1663 esplanade1681 flatland1735 vlakte1785 steppe1837 ?a1400 Morte Arth. 3250 With þe drowghte of þe daye alle drye ware þe flores! 1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 234 The vpper crust or floure of the earth. 1638 J. Milton Lycidas in Obsequies 25 in Justa Edouardo King Sunk though he be beneath the watry floore. 1692 J. Ray Dissol. World (1693) iii. v. 302 Great Banks or Floors of Earth. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Pastorals vi, in tr. Virgil Wks. 27 His rosie Wreath was..Born by the tide of Wine, and floating on the floor. 1820 P. B. Shelley Cloud in Prometheus Unbound 198 The moon, Glides glimmering o'er my fleece-like floor. 1839 H. W. Longfellow Celestial Pilot 3 Down in the west upon the ocean floor. 1865 T. Garland List Words Common Use W. Cornwall in Jrnl. Royal Inst. Cornwall Apr. 48 Floor, a grass meadow. 1871 L. Stephen Playground of Europe (1894) ix. 198 Forests of pine rise steeply from the meadow floor. b. the floor (Cricket colloquial): the ground. So to put a catch on the floor: to fail to hold it. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [noun] > surface of ground carpet1882 the floor1903 1903 Strand Mag. 25 624/2 A large majority of them [sc. catches] were ‘put on the floor’. 1960 Times 14 June 16/1 With the field drawn tight around the bat and catches being snapped up off the floor. †8. An area or region. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > space > [noun] > defined or limited portion of space > a particular extent or region coastc1320 confinec1400 quarterc1400 region?1537 leet1567 demesne1597 floor1626 area1700 department1832 parallel1887 1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §255 Both of them [visibles and audibles] spread themselves in Round, and fill a whole Floare or Orbe vnto certaine Limits. †9. = bed n. 8. Obsolete. rare. [Compare Middle High German vluor sown field.] ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > gardening > garden > division or part of garden > [noun] > bed or plot > bed in kitchen-garden floor1600 ridge1717 1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique ii. iv. 206 Of the disposing or appointing of the floores of the kitchin garden. III. A stratum or foundation. 10. A surface on which something rests; a foundation. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > low position > [noun] > condition of being placed under > that which lies under > base on which a thing rests > surface or area floor1556 basal area1610 bedding1611 bed1633 plan1723 floor area1887 1556 J. Withals Short Dict. (new ed.) sig. Mi/2 A floore or foundation, wherevpon buyldyng is set. 1768 Smeaton Rep. (1797) I. 330 The arches I would recommend are of 12 feet wide, and 6 feet from the floor to the springer. 1969 Jane's Freight Containers 1968–9 18/3 Freight Container Components... Floor. Component supporting the payload. 11. The stratum upon which a seam of coal, etc. immediately lies. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > minerals > mineral deposits > features of stratum or vein > [noun] > material below holing-stuff1819 floor1869 holing1882 undergoing1883 1869 R. B. Smyth Gold Fields Victoria 611 Floor, a false bottom, with washdirt lying on it. 1878 T. H. Huxley Physiography (ed. 2) 235 Vegetable remains are also met with in rocks beneath the coal, forming what is called the floor. 1883 in W. S. Gresley Gloss. Terms Coal Mining (at cited word) IV. A layer: = bed n. III. 12. A layer, a stratum; a horizontal course. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > structure of the earth > structural features > sedimentary formation > [noun] > stratum coursec1430 couch1661 stratum1671 dess1673 strata1676 bed1684 floor1692 flooring1697 stratificationa1703 rock1712 liea1728 lay-bed1728 post1794 the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > covering > a layer > [noun] leyne?c1390 flake1577 lain1577 lay1588 stratum1599 bed1600 layer1615 strata1676 floor1692 laying1703 1692 J. Ray Dissol. World (1732) ii. iv. 127 Many Beds or Floors of all kinds of Sea-Shells. 1778 W. Pryce Mineralogia Cornubiensis 321 A Floor is a bed of Ore in a Lode. 1851 T. Wright & G. F. Richardson Introd. Geol. (new ed.) i. 7 In the case of tin it occasionally spreads out into a flat mass, technically called a floor. 13. A unit of measurement used for embankment work (see quots.). ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [noun] > units of length or distance > rod, pole, or perch > in embankment work float1707 floor1707 marsh rod1788 1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry xv. 309 Banks are measured by the..Floor, which is eighteen Foot square and one deep. 1797 Trans. Soc. Arts 15 148 A floor of earth is twenty feet square, and one foot deep. 1877 in E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincs. [= 400 cubic feet]. Compounds General attributive. C1. Simple attributive. a. floor area n. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > low position > [noun] > condition of being placed under > that which lies under > base on which a thing rests > surface or area floor1556 basal area1610 bedding1611 bed1633 plan1723 floor area1887 1887 Pall Mall Gaz. 9 Nov. 13/2 The..floor area of the large hall having been fully occupied. floor-covering n. ΚΠ 1885 List of Subscribers Exchange Syst. (United Telephone Co.) (ed. 6) 122 CorticineFloor Covering Co., Limited, 112 Queen Victoria Street, E.C. 1986 K. Moore Moving House x. 121 She was also taking over the dull but still serviceable floor-covering of the flat which she meant to enliven by a couple of her favourite rugs. floor-joist n. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > framework of building > [noun] > joist joist1379 joist-tree1566 travature1730 case bay1733 floor-joist1859 1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede II. ii. xix. 70 A difficulty about a floor-joist or a window-frame. floor level n. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [noun] fleta1000 floorc1000 floorth1303 loftingc1540 contignation1592 loft1596 contabulation1615 flooring1624 planchera1825 contablature1827 ground1847 Rory O'More1857 floor level1874 Rory1938 1874 J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Parish Churches 127 The steps and floor levels. floor-slab n. ΚΠ 1936 Discovery Feb. 56/1 The two principal floor-slabs..were of a specially hard kind of granite. 1963 Gloss. Build. Terms (B.S.I.) 18 Floor slab, a slab forming the continuous loadbearing structure of a floor and spanning between supports or laid on the ground. floor-space n. ΚΠ 1876 J. S. Ingram Centennial Exposition v. 150 It occupied about one-seventh of the entire floor-space in that structure. 1930 Times Educ. Suppl. 23 Aug. 363/2 The small floor-space of the war museum. floor-stone n. ΚΠ 1927 Blackwood's Mag. Apr. 527 Little of the floorstone remains. 1956 E. Pound tr. Sophocles Women of Trachis 30 Seemed to corrode of itself. Ate itself up, there on the floor-stones. floor-tile n. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > clay compositions > baked clay > tile > [noun] > for paving or flooring paving tile1325 pantilea1777 floor-tile1894 1894 Antiquary Aug. 41 the floor-tiles of these hearths..have been burnt white. b. floor-mounted adj. ΚΠ 1962 Times 25 May 18/5 The cranked, floor-mounted gear lever. C2. Special combinations. floor-arch n. (see quot.). ΚΠ 1884 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Suppl. 349/1 Floor Arch, an arch with a flat extrados. floor-bank n. (see quot. 1744). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > hedging > [noun] > ridge on which hedge is table1664 floor-bank1744 hedge-bank1776 tabling1843 1744 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman Jan. xii. 93 What we call a Flower-bank; that is, some Earth that lies next the Hedge, thrown over the Roots with a Spade..so that with the first Original, or first raised Flower-bank, the whole Rise of Earth is not above a Foot. 1805 Priest in Ann. Agric. 43 586 The ditches will be filled up, so as to form what are called floor-banks. floor-frame n. (a) the framework of the floor in a vessel; (b) U.S. the main frame of the body of a railway-carriage underneath the floor. ΚΠ 1775 N. D. Falck Philos. Diss. Diving Vessel 4 A Floor frame of six beams athwart ship. floor-guide n. (see quots.). ΚΠ 1855 J. Ogilvie Suppl. Imperial Dict. Floor-guide in ship-building, a narrow flexible piece of timber placed between the floor-riband and the keel. floor-hanger n. (see quots.). ΚΠ 1884 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Suppl. 349/1 Floor Hanger, a shaft bearing fastened to the floor. floor-head n. (a) the upper end of one of the floor-timbers in a vessel; (b) (see quot. 1867). ΚΠ 1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine Rung-heads, the upper ends of the floor-timbers, which are..more properly called floor-heads. 1856 R. H. Dana Seaman's Friend (new ed.) 5 When the ballast is iron, it is stowed up to the floor-heads. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor-head, the third diagonal, terminating the length of the floors near the bilge of the ship. floor-hollow n. (see quot.). ΚΠ 1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 118 Floor hollow, the inflected curve that terminates the floor next the keel, and to which the floor-hollow mould is made. floor lamp n. one that stands on the floor; U.S., a tall lamp designed to stand on the floor. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > [noun] > lamp > standard or floor lamp standard lamp1794 standard1885 floor lamp1892 1892 Daily News 21 Nov. 2/6 The home demand for telescope floor lamps is still growing. 1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 255 Polished brass telescopic floor lamps. 1940 C. McCullers Heart is Lonely Hunter i. i. 8 He walked into a store one day and hauled out a floor lamp without paying for it. 1965 J. M. Cain Magician's Wife (1966) ii. 18 He..went into the living room, and without turning the floor lamps on, sat down in a chair by a window and stared out at the gathering dusk. floor-layer n. U.S. a workman who lays down floors. ΚΠ 1863 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 10 May 4/6 The newly formed union of floor-layers. floor-laying n. the operation of laying down floors. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > building or providing with specific parts > [noun] > flooring planchering1411 planking?a1450 sollaring1545 flooring1632 planching1706 floor-laying1884 1884 Internat. Health Exhib. Official Catal. 83/1 Improved method of Floor-laying without nails. floor-leader n. U.S. a leader in debate, esp. in legislative assemblies. ΚΠ 1899 Congress. Rec. 11 Feb. 1764/2 Congress has witnessed very few more successful floor leaders. 1954 Encounter Mar. 59/1 Congressman John McCormack, Democratic floor-leader in the House. floor-length adj. reaching to the floor. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [adjective] > of specific length foot-sideOE sideOE long-side1575 sidelong1575 nock-shorn1632 talarian1671 three-quarter1713 overknee1831 talaric1853 high water1856 ankle-length1876 long1882 hip-length1893 knee-length1895 thigh-length1895 fingertip1920 mid-calf1931 wrist-length1935 floor-length1939 cropped1954 waltz-length1958 two-thirds1963 calf-length1965 midi1968 society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > covers or hangings > [adjective] > having hangings > reaching the floor (of hangings) floor-length1939 1939 Ottawa Evening Jrnl. 26 June 8/4 The bride wore a floor-length gown of white chiffon over taffeta. 1967 E. Short Embroidery & Fabric Collage iii. 74 A round table in a bedroom or drawing-room may sometimes have a floor-length cover permanently in position. floor-light n. (see quot.). ΚΠ 1884 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Suppl. 349/1 Floor-light, a frame with glass panes in a floor. floor man n. one who helps to attract customers to a mock auction. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > buying > buyer > [noun] > bidder > one who runs up bidding goad1608 setter1699 white bonnet1760 puffer1765 sweetener1823 jolly1856 runner-up1860 floor man1928 1928 Daily Express 3 Mar. 7 Meader and Solomons were what is known as ‘floor men’, or..‘pitch gatherers’. floor manager n. (a) U.S. a ‘master of ceremonies’ at a dance; (b) originally U.S. a shop-walker; (c) U.S. one who organizes support for a candidate in the hall of a political convention; (d) in television production: see quot. 1961. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > selling > seller > [noun] > shopkeeper > shopworkers shopman1662 window clerk1770 clerka1790 shop attendant1813 shoppie1818 shop assistant1821 shop-walker1825 counter-jumper1829 show-woman1848 assistant1853 counterman1853 counter-skipper1858 floor-walker1876 floor manager1887 window man1887 frontsman1896 inworker1909 lot attendant1934 sales clerk1934 society > communication > broadcasting > television > production of television broadcast > [noun] > people involved in television production > others production director1915 production manager1927 television engineer1930 production assistant1932 vision-mixer1938 TV engineer1946 lighting cameraman1947 floor manager1960 helmer1974 showrunner1989 1887 Harper's Mag. May 967/1 Jerry, as one of the floor-managers, was gorgeous. 1892 Harper's Mag. Feb. 439/1 Like the floor-walkers in the stores, they're all floor or aisle managers now. 1913 J. London Valley of Moon iii. xiii An' here's you makin' rough~house at a dance, an' I'm the floor manager, an' I gotta put you out. 1924 W. S. Hayward Retail Handbk. 74 The floor manager is the first person to arrive in the department and the last to leave. 1930 J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement vi. 292 Tells me she's had some bother with the buyer or floor manager. 1953 Manch. Guardian Weekly 3 Sept. 3 The convention floor manager's hard-won knowledge. 1960 O. Skilbeck ABC of Film & TV Working Terms 55 Floor manager. 1961 G. Millerson Technique Television Production 14 The floor-manager is the director's contact man on the studio floor, and checks staging, action and performers on his behalf. 1966 S. B. Jackman Davidson Affair i. 17 I..saw the floor-manager's hand drop to cue me in..and turned to face the camera. floor pattern n. (see quot. 1964). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > dancing > movements or steps > [noun] > figure figure1636 leading1694 floor pattern1943 1943 M. Mayo Amer. Square Dance 11 It is well also to picture clearly in the mind what the dance will look like and what the floor pattern will be. 1958 J. Winearls Mod. Dance 130 (caption) Floor Pattern. 1964 W. G. Raffé Dict. Dance 374/2 Floor pattern: the track, or footsteps, traced by the dancer on the stage. floor-pipe n. a hot-air pipe laid along the floor of a conservatory. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > heating or making hot > that which or one who heats > [noun] > a device for heating or warming > duct or pipe conveying heat sidewaya1387 caliduct1624 floor-pipe1691 stovepipe1691 trill1707 flue1715 hot-water pipe1744 riser1876 flow-pipe1904 1691 J. Evelyn Kalendarium Hortense (ed. 8) 162 The fresh Air..circulating thorow the Orifice of the Floor-pipe. floor-plan n. (a) Shipbuilding (see quot. 1867); (b) Architecture (see quot. 1874). ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > [noun] > plans of buildings or structures ground-plot1563 model1570 ichnography1598 skiagraphy1636 plane1639 skiagraph1648 plain1659 plan1664 planography?1668 scheme1703 ground plan1731 working plan1767 working drawing1785 detail1819 floor-plan1867 Z-plan1887 block plan1909 master plan1914 society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > shipbuilding and repairing > [noun] > shipbuilding > lines, sections, or elevations middle line?c1400 sweep1627 lines1680 touch1711 waterline1750 station1754 sheer-draught1769 body plan1781 sheer-line1797 sheer-plan1797 touchline1797 water plane1798 centreline1806 buttock line1816 crown1830 scrieve1830 top-breadth line1846 wave-line1846 floor-plan1867 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor-plans, longitudinal sections, whereon are represented the water-lines and ribband-lines. 1874 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. I. 889/1 Floor-plan..(Architecture) a horizontal section, showing the thickness of the walls and partitions, the arrangement of the passages, apartments, and openings at the level of the principal, or receiving floor of the house. floor-plate n. (a) Shipbuilding (see quot. 1883); (b) Mechanical Engineering = footplate n. 1. ΘΚΠ society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > parts and equipment of vehicles generally > [noun] > other parts body bolt1810 safety chain1832 footplate1833 aisle1835 headlining1848 bumper1867 floor-plate1869 tension bar1879 suicide door1960 bull bar1967 roo bar1973 1869 E. J. Reed Shipbuilding xix. 407 The floor-plates are now required to extend to a perpendicular height up the bilges of twice the depth of the floors amidships. 1883 W. C. Russell Sailors' Lang. Floorplates, formerly plates in the bottom of an iron ship corresponding with the floor-timbers in wooden ones. 1888 Lockwood's Dict. Mech. Engin. Floor plates, foot plates. floor polish n. a manufactured substance for rendering floors glossy. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > polishing > [noun] > polish > types of pumice1422 emery1481 foam of copperas1538 pumex1589 emery-stone1610 smiris1610 putty1663 rottenstone1677 tutty1731 French rouge?1745 rotstone1767 plate powder1786 emery-powder18.. rouge1808 waxing1825 black lead1830 tin-putty1839 red stuff1844 stove-polish1858 crocusa1861 crocus-powder1873 furniture cream1873 grit-emery1884 silver polish1895 Ronuk1896 Brasso1905 floor polish1907 lavender cream1926 lavender polish1961 lavender wax1970 1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 18/2 Floor polish. 1926 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 2 July 4/5 (advt.) Floor polishes, you may say, are pretty much alike. But try ‘Poliflor’ just once and you will immediately realize what a vast difference there can be. floor-polisher n. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > polishing > [noun] > one who > one who polishes floors floor-polisher1895 the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > polishing > [noun] > implement for polishing > machine for polishing floors floor-polisher1895 1895 Army & Navy Co-op. Soc. Price List 184/2 Floor Polisher, extra large, with swivel joint, including handle. 1897 Westm. Gaz. 7 Dec. 10/2 One man only will be allowed on the premises—the floor-polisher. 1939–40 Army & Navy Stores Catal. 114/1 Floor polisher... Double sided. One side for applying wax. One side for polishing. floor-riband n. (see quots.). ΚΠ 1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 118 Floor riband, the riband next below the floor-heads which supports the floors. floor-rider n. (see quot.). ΚΠ 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floor-riders, knees brought in from side to side over the floor ceiling and kelson, to support the bottom, if bilged or weak, for heavy cargo. floor show n. an entertainment presented on the floor of a restaurant, night-club, etc. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > variety, etc. > [noun] > cabaret cabaret1912 floor show1927 1927 Stage Year Bk. 69 The opportunities and scope for employment [in vaudeville] of an artist are practically unlimited, apart from the large field in musical productions, cabaret floor shows, etc. 1931 J. Durante & J. C. Kofoed Night Clubs 4 A floor show with six principals and no chorus. 1959 Times 2 Mar. 12/7 Snippets from a night-club floor-show of resplendent tattiness. floor-sweep n. (see quot.). ΚΠ 1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 119 Floor-sweeps, the radii that sweep the heads of the floors. floor-timber n. (also floor-timbers) (a) (see quot. 1867); (b) U.S. timber for flooring. ΚΠ 1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. ii. 2 They lay the Rungs, called floore timbers..thwart the keele. 1851 C. Cist Sketches & Statistics Cincinnati 325 Floor timbers..are here furnished. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Floors or Floor-Timbers, those parts of the ship's timbers which are placed immediately across the keel. floor-waiter n. a waiter who serves on one floor of a hotel. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > serving food > [noun] > server of food > in inn or restaurant aproner1611 waiter1664 garçon1788 tendera1825 hash slinger1868 officer1886 Robert1886 hasher1891 tender1901 hot potato1909 floor-waiter1930 waitperson1973 waitron1980 1930 A. Bennett Imperial Palace xvii. 109 Once he had memorably discovered fourth-floor silver in the fifth-floor service~room..which disconcerted all the floor-waiters. 1967 G. Greene May we borrow your Husband? 19 Peter's mislaid his tie. He thinks the floor-waiter has purloined it. floor-walker n. U.S. = shop-walker n. at shop n., adj., and int. Compounds 3. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > selling > seller > [noun] > shopkeeper > shopworkers shopman1662 window clerk1770 clerka1790 shop attendant1813 shoppie1818 shop assistant1821 shop-walker1825 counter-jumper1829 show-woman1848 assistant1853 counterman1853 counter-skipper1858 floor-walker1876 floor manager1887 window man1887 frontsman1896 inworker1909 lot attendant1934 sales clerk1934 1876 Scribner's Monthly Feb. 599/2 I next went into a store a few doors further up Broadway. When I entered I approached the floor-walker. 1884 Milnor (Dakota Territory) Teller 30 July These Boston merchants stationed their floor-walkers at the place appointed by the Philadelphia agent. 1942 E. Paul Narrow Street iv. 32 The tenant of this room and bath was a floor-walker from the Samaritaine. floorward adj. directed towards the floor. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [adjective] > directed towards the floor floorward1887 1887 Pall Mall Gaz. 12 Mar. 12/1 A constantly repeated floor-ward glance of bashfulness and modesty. floor-ward adv. (also floor-wards) towards the floor. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > [adverb] > to the earth or ground earthward1646 earthwards1650 groundward1855 floor-ward1863 society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [adverb] > towards the floor floor-ward1863 1863 Reader 31 Oct. 502 He is bundled down floorwards. Draft additions 1993 floor exercise n. a physical exercise performed on the floor; spec. in Gymnastics (chiefly in plural), a co-ordinated routine of tumbles and other exercises performed without the use of apparatus, esp. as a competitive event. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > gymnastics > [noun] > specific type rhythmic gymnastics1908 floor exercise1957 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > gymnastics > [noun] > actions or positions vaulting1531 cross-step1728 still-vaulting1854 roll1858 trampolining1867 planche1878 handstand1890 rollover1891 trapezing1894 press1901 straddle1905 kip1909 upstart1909 headstand1915 round-off1917 neck-roll1920 undergrip1920 pike1928 swivel hips1943 thigh lift1949 overswing1955 shoulder stand1956 stand1956 floor exercise1957 squat1959 turnaround1959 salto1972 Tsukahara1972 1920 Herbert & Junker tr. Knudsen's Text-bk. Gymnastics 290 Agility exercises on the floor have this advantage over many other exercises, that they claim neither gymnasium, apparatus, nor teacher.] 1957 Encycl. Brit. XI. 20/2 The ‘Olympic six’ for men comprise floor exercises, work on the horizontal bar, parallel bars and rings, pommelled horse and vaulting. 1983 E. Fowler Keep Fit viii. 88 This may be followed by a floor exercise for the abdominal muscles, where the body weight is taken by the floor. Draft additions December 2002 floor-filler n. colloquial (originally and chiefly British) a pop or dance record which, when played at a discotheque or nightclub, guarantees a crowded dance floor. ΚΠ 1987 Blues & Soul 3–16 Feb. 18/4 The first album, ‘Anthems’, boasts ten 12″ versions of tracks that are dead cert, sure-fire end-of-the-night singalongs or instant floorfillers. 2001 Heat 27 Oct. 94/3 Crunchy guitars and chant-along vocals make this a unique floor-filler they're already dubbing ‘punk house’. Draft additions June 2021 floor cushion n. a large cushion placed on the floor for use as seating. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > support or rest > [noun] > cushion > floor cushion boss1694 floor cushion1839 puff1877 zabuton1879 pouf1884 beanbag1969 Sagbag1974 1839 W. Knight Oriental Outl. (Gloss.) p. ii/2 Floor-cushion, shilteh. 1863 Little Amer. 2 Nov. 17/2 The silken floor cushions on every hand are far more comfortable than the chairs. 1921 Evening Tel. & Post (Dundee) 11 Mar. 8/2 She came forward and sank onto an enormous floor-cushion of gold and copper velvet. 2017 K. Shamsie Home Fire iv. 92 They sat cross-legged at the very edges of the janglingly colourful floor cushions. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online June 2022). floorn.² Brit. /flɔː/, U.S. /flɔr/ Etymology: < floor v. colloquial. Something that ‘floors’ or discomfits one; also, a fatal blunder (in a calculation, etc.). ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > an error, mistake > [noun] > serious error, blunder blunder1706 blunderbuss1726 floor1841 bull1846 howler1872 atrocity1878 break1884 bloomer1889 boner1912 bish1937 black1939 blue1941 cock-up1946 piss-up1950 screw-up1950 blob1952 1841 R. W. Church Let. 21 Mar. in Life & Lett. (1894) 23 The Heads show that they feel it rather a floor for the present. 1846 R. W. Church Let. 21 Mar. in Life & Lett. (1894) 64 We may be caught out in some ‘floor’. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2022). floorv. Brit. /flɔː/, U.S. /flɔr/ Etymology: < floor n.¹ 1. a. transitive. To cover or furnish with a floor or floors, in various senses of the word; to pave. Also with over. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > building or constructing > building or providing with specific parts > build or provide with specific parts [verb (transitive)] > floor floorc1420 sollar1648 under-floor1778 the world > space > relative position > low position > put in low position [verb (transitive)] > have position under > constitute the base of support1548 substrate1578 solea1643 floor1698 found1728 base1858 under-floor1884 c1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 334 Eke pave or floore it wele in somer tyde. c1520 in J. T. Fowler Memorials Church SS. Peter & Wilfrid, Ripon (1888) III. 201 Flowryng the lofte per v dies. 1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xxxi. 113 [He] must haue his ground flowred so..as in wrastling not hard to fall on. 1660 S. Pepys Diary 4 Sept. (1970) I. 239 Looking over the Joyners..flooring my dining-roome. 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 226 [Persia] is floored with vast Sands pent in by the surrounding Sprouts of Taurus. 1782 W. Cowper Expostulation in Poems 16 Fiery suns..and oceans floored with ice. 1808 C. Vancouver Gen. View Agric. Devon Concl. 473 The feeding and sleeping place floored with flat stones. 1823 Examiner 442/2 The pit was floored over to the height of the stage. 1858 B. Taylor Northern Trav. iii. 18 Thick fir forests, floored with bright-green moss. b. To form, or serve as, the floor of. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > valley > [verb (transitive)] > be valley floor floor1639 1639 G. Daniel Ecclus. i. 4 The Sands which floore the Sea. 1854 J. D. Hooker Himalayan Jrnls. II. xviii. 44 300 feet of deposit, which once floored its valleys. 2. a. To bring to the floor or ground; to knock down in boxing; to bring down (game). to be floored (of a horseman): to have a fall. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > causing to come or go down > cause to come or go down [verb (transitive)] > bring to the ground/lay low layc888 afelleOE to throw downa1250 groundc1275 to lay to ground, to earth (Sc. at eird)c1275 stoopc1275 evena1382 abatec1390 to bring downa1400 falla1400 welt?a1400 throwa1450 tumble1487 succumb1490 strewa1500 vaila1592 flat1607 level1614 floor1642 to fetch down1705 drop1726 supplant1751 society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > ride a horse (or other animal) [verb (intransitive)] > fall off wendc1300 flit1430 unhorse1583 to be floored1826 to come (fall, get) a cropper1858 to come (also have) a buster1874 to come off1874 volunteer1890 to take a toss1917 the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > falling > fall [verb (intransitive)] > fall down or from erect position > specifically of person or animal to light lowc1225 wendc1300 to seek to the earth or groundc1330 tumblea1375 stretchc1400 to take a fall1413 to blush to the eartha1500 to come down1603 to go to grassa1640 to be floored1826 to take a spilla1845 to come (fall, get) a cropper1858 to hunt grass1872 to come (also have) a buster1874 to hit the deck1954 1642 Lanc. Tracts. (Chetham Soc.) 79 He commanded them all to shoote at once, and flore the enemie, if possible they could. 1812 Sporting Mag. 39 18 Crib..floored him with a blow of great strength. 1826 Sporting Mag. New Ser. XVII. 270 My friend was floored, and Mr. Leader..rode over him. 1829 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 10 My wild swan, that I floored yesterday. 1866 F. Seebohm Oxf. Reformers iv. §4 Whereupon the poor boy was forthwith floored then and there, and flogged. b. slang. (See quot. 1819.) ΚΠ 1819 J. H. Vaux New Vocab. Flash Lang. in Memoirs II. 175 Floor'd, a person who is so drunk, as to be incapable of standing, is said to be floor'd. 3. In various figurative uses. colloquial. a. To confound, nonplus; to flabbergast, puzzle. In schoolboy slang, to be or get floored: to grow confused, be at a loss, fail, break down. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > perplexity, bewilderment > act of perplexing > confuse, perplex, bewilder [verb (transitive)] > nonplus stagger1556 gravel1566 set1577 trump1586 bumbaze1587 puzzlec1595 ground1597 stunt1603 nonplus1605 pose1605 stumble1605 buzzard1624 quandary1681 bamboozle1712 hobble1762 stump1807 have1816 floor1830 flummox1837 stick1851 get1868 to stick up1897 buffalo1903 1830 S. T. Coleridge Table-talk 8 July (1884) The other day I was what you would call floored by a Jew. 1840 B. Disraeli Corr. with Sister (1886) 158 My facts flabbergasted him, as well as..Hume, who was ludicrously floored. 1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. iv. 294 If you hadn't been floored yourself now at first lesson. 1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. v. 316 He's never going to get floored. 1886 J. Ruskin Præterita I. xi. 359 The consummate manner in which I had floored our tutor. b. To overcome in any way; to beat, defeat, prove too much for. to floor the odds (see quot. 1893). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > overcome or overwhelm > completely or overthrow shrenchc897 allayOE fellOE quellOE to bring to the groundc1175 forlesec1200 to lay downa1225 acastc1225 accumberc1275 cumber1303 confoundc1330 overthrowc1375 cumrayc1425 overquell?c1450 overwhelvec1450 to nip in (also by, on) the head (also neck, pate)?a1500 prostrate1531 quash1556 couch1577 unhorse1577 prosternate1593 overbeata1616 unchariot1715 floor1828 quench1841 to knock over1853 fling1889 to throw down1890 steamroller1912 wipe1972 zonk1973 1828 E. Bulwer-Lytton Pelham I. xxx. 263 It is very singular that you who play so much better should not have floored him yesterday evening. 1834 J. H. Newman Lett. & Corr. (1891) II. 22 I am floored as to the professorship. 1836 B. Disraeli Corr. with Sister (1886) 50 I was the only man who could floor O'Connell. 1882 Daily Tel. 16 Nov. 3/5 The odds were, nevertheless, floored from an unexpected quarter. 1893 J. S. Farmer Slang Floor (Racing), When a low-priced horse pulls off the event in the face of the betting, it is said to floor the odds. c. To do thoroughly, get through (a piece of work) successfully. to floor a paper (University slang): to answer every question in it. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > completing > complete (an action or piece of work) [verb (transitive)] > successfully floor1852 to put through1888 to bring off1928 the mind > attention and judgement > answer > [verb (intransitive)] > have an answer > to every question to floor a paper1852 1852 C. A. Bristed Five Years Eng. University I. 186 Our best classic had not time to floor the paper. 1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. I. x. 167 I've nearly floored my little-go work. d. To empty, finish (a bottle, etc.). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > drink intoxicating liquor > drink up or drain quax1509 toom?a1513 quaff1534 to play off1598 upsy-friese1617 bumbaste1640 dust1673 fuddlec1680 whemmel1721 toota1774 buzz1785 kill1833 floor1837 lower1920 slam1982 1837 B. D. Walsh tr. Aristophanes Acharnians v. ii, in Comedies 113 I Was the first man that floored his gallon. 1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. II. viii. 138 I have a few bottles of old wine left; we may as well floor them. e. intransitive. ? To commit a fatal blunder. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > an error, mistake > blunder [verb (intransitive)] shail1528 blunder1711 floor1835 to make a bloomer1889 pull1913 to drop a brick1916 boob1935 to put up a black1939 goof1941 to screw up1942 to drop a bollock1948 to drop a clanger1948 to cock up1974 1835 J. H. Newman Lett. & Corr. (1891) II. 97 We floored so miserably at the Reformation, that [etc.]. †4. transitive. ‘To bring forward in argument, to table’ (Jamieson). Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > testing > debate, disputation, argument > putting forward for discussion > put forward [verb (transitive)] > use as argument to lay forthc1405 adduce?a1425 object1536 argue1652 floora1687 a1687 R. McWard Επαγωνισμοι (1723) 177 I know not..whom your Proposal..strikes against; save that you floor it, to fall on some, whom you mind to hit right or wrong. 5. To place upon (something) as a floor. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > high position > position upon > be upon (something) [verb (transitive)] > place (a thing) upon > place upon as a base floor1871 1871 E. B. Tylor Primitive Culture II. xiii. 68 The doctrine of a Heaven, floored upon a firmament, or placed in the upper air. 6. Art slang. To hang in the lowest row on the walls of a picture-gallery. ΚΠ 1884 American 8 376 One R.A. is ‘skied’ and another ‘floored’. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.¹c888n.²1841v.c1420
随便看	peasecod-boat peasecodbellied peasecodboat peased peaseearth peaseeddish peaseetch peaseeverlasting peasefed peasefield peasehaulm peasehook peasehull peaselike peasemeak peasemeal peaserick peases peasesoup peasestraw peasgood's nonsuch peashell cockle peashod peashoot peashooter

floorn.1

Compounds

Draft additions 1993

Draft additions December 2002

Draft additions June 2021

floorn.2

floorv.

floorn.¹

floorn.²