From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_164_ghousehouse1 /haʊs/ ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural houses /ˈhaʊzɪz/) 1 where someone lives [countable] a) a building that someone lives in, especially one that has more than one level and is intended to be used by one family a four-bedroom housein a house every room in the houseat somebody’s house We met at Alison’s house. Why don’t you all come over to our house for coffee?move house British English (=leave your house and go to live in another one) b) PERSON/PEOPLE the house all the people who live in a house SYN household He gets up at six and disturbs the whole house.► see thesaurus at home2 building a) opera/court/movie etc houseBUILD a large public building used for a particular purpose b) House British EnglishNAME OF A THING used in the names of large buildings, especially offices the BBC television studios at Broadcasting House c) hen house/coach house/storehouse etc a building used for a particular purpose3 governmentPGPGOVERENMENT [countable] a group of people who make the laws of a country The president will address both houses of Congress.the House of Commons/Lords/Representatives/Assembly the Speaker of the House → Lower House, Upper House4 companyCOMPANY [countable] a company, especially one involved in a particular area of business America’s oldest publishing house a small independent software house an auction house a famous Italian fashion house5 theatre [countable] a) APTthe part of a theatre, cinema etc where people sit OPP backstage The show has been playing to full houses. The house was half empty. The house lights went down and the music started. b) APTthe people who have come to watch a performance SYN audiencefull/packed/empty house (=a large or small audience) The show has been playing to packed houses since it opened.6 → in house7 → put/set/get your (own) house in order8 → bring the house down9 → be on the house10 → house wine11 → get on/along like a house on fire12 → set up house13 → keep house14 schoolSES [countable] British English in some schools, one of the groups that children of different ages are divided into to compete against each other, for example in sports competitions 15 royal familyHIGH POSITION OR RANK [countable] an important family, especially a royal family the House of Windsor16 COMPLICATEDmusic [uncountable] house music17 → house of God/worship18 → this houseCOLLOCATIONSverbslive in a houseThey live in a really big house in Hampstead.buy a houseWe bought this house when Liam was just a baby.rent a houseWhile he was working in London, Ken rented a house in Fulham.sell a houseWe decided to sell the house and move back to Seattle.put your house on the market (=make it available for people to buy)They put the house on the market and began looking for an apartment.move into/out of a houseWe’re moving into our new house next week.build a houseThey’re building a house on land overlooking Galway Bay.put up a house (=build a house, especially when it seems very quick)I think they’ve ruined the village by putting up these new houses.renovate a house (=repair a house so that it is in good condition again)He makes money by renovating old houses and selling them on.decorate a house (=put paint or wallpaper on the inside walls of a house)If we’re going to decorate the house, let’s get professionals in.do up a house informal (=decorate it)We’ve been doing up the house bit by bit since we first moved in.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + house a private house (=one owned by someone)It was a residential neighborhood of private houses.a rented house (=one owned by someone who rents it to people)She shares a rented house with three other students.a council house British English (=one owned by a local council that people can rent cheaply)The rent rise is a blow to council house tenants.a Georgian/Victorian/Edwardian etc house (=a house in Britain that was built during the reign of a particular king or queen )They live in a lovely old Edwardian house with high ceilings.house + NOUNhouse pricesHouse prices have tripled over the last ten years.a house ownerAll house owners must pay council tax.a house purchaseA solicitor can help you with the legal aspects of a house purchase.house hunting (=the activity of looking at houses that you might buy)Have you had any success with your house hunting? THESAURUShouse a building that someone lives in, especially one that is intended for one family, person, or couple to live inAnnie and Rick have just bought their first house.The price of houses is going up all the time.detached house British English a house that is not joined to another housea detached four-bedroomed housesemi-detached house British English a house that is joined to another house on one sideterraced house British English, row house American English one of a row of houses that are joined togethertownhouse one of a row of houses that are joined together. In British English, townhouse is often used about a large and impressive house in a fashionable area of a cityan 18th-century townhouse in Bathcottage a small house in the country – used especially about houses in the UKa little cottage in the countrya thatched cottage (=with a roof made of straw)bungalow a small house that is all on one levelBungalows are suitable for many elderly people.country house a large house in the countryside, especially one that is of historical interestThe hotel was originally an Edwardian country house.mansion a very large housethe family’s Beverly Hills mansionmobile home (also trailer American English) a type of house that can be pulled by a large vehicle and moved to another placeranch house American English a long narrow house that is all on one levela California ranch houseduplex American English a house that is divided into two separate homesan apartmentapartment especially American English , flat British English a set of rooms where someone lives that is part of a house or bigger building. In British English, people usually say flat. Apartment is used about large and expensive flats, or in advertisementsHis apartment is on the eighth floor.In London, I shared a flat with some other students.condominium (also condo informal) American English one apartment in a building with several apartments, owned by the people who live in thema 10-unit condominium complex a group of housesdevelopment a group of new houses or other buildings that are all planned and built together on the same piece of landThe site is to be used for a new housing development.estate British English an area where a large group of houses have all been built together at the same timeShe grew up on a council estate in Leeds.
Examples from the Corpus
house• My parents have a five-bedroom house.• The bill has the backing of both houses of Congress.• The street was lined with identical red-brick houses.• Dilapidated public schools-their windows covered by protective grilles coexist with crack houses.• a detached house in Surrey• a three-bedroom semi-detached house• Which gives my house the unique decor of a kitsch museum crossed with a landfill.• Our house is the one with the red door.• Now they had a smart restaurant in Blackheath, another in Knightsbridge, and a chain of pizza houses.• America's oldest publishing house• I went over to Barbara's house after school.• I'm going to Bethany's house after school.• The street ran between rows of dingy terraced houses.• Immediately these men destroyed the houses that had been built on the land.• Mrs Kim-Soon exclaimed that she would not put up with another Mrs Kim-Soon in the house.• She left the house for the farmers' market.• I was dressed and out of the house in ten long minutes with gas-fuelled hair tongs in my hand.• the House of Dior• Women orbited about surfers on the beach; they clung to them in cars; they occupied their houses in loose liaisons.• Be quiet or you'll wake the whole house!the House of Commons/Lords/Representatives/Assembly• They propose to abolish the House of Lords.• There is no such thing as redundancy in the House of Lords.• He sits in the House of Lords as a cross-bencher and is active in debates, particularly on environmental issues.• Members of the House of Lords sat by virtue of birth, holding hereditary peerages.• The objection to the House of Lords is that it is not a democratic institution.publishing house• As part of the exhibition, the celebrated publishing house will be showing six films it has produced on the Catalan artist.• His next moves were to acquire a major London publishing house and the prestigious London Times newspaper.• The national news agency and the major publishing houses struck.• Everything l needed was right here libraries, newspapers, publishing houses, lectures, even a Writers' Club.• In the colonies there were no publishing houses or distribution systems.• Just in the past year, the party has banned dozens of books and closed numerous publishing houses.• Other publishing houses in other countries will naturally prefer artists who are already internationally well known.• Lessing, from the publishing house.full houses• No critics, not too many nerves, no reviews and full houses for three months.• But enough to make it a success and full houses to the end.• The show went from strength to strength and played to full houses throughout.• Cecil resigned from the Cabinet and ever since has been playing to full houses when he addresses the Tory faithful.• All human life was strutting its stuff, to full houses in three auditoria.• The theatre welcomed me back with full houses.househouse2 /haʊz/ verb [transitive] 1 HOMEto provide someone with a place to livehouse in The refugees are being housed in temporary accommodation.2 KEEP/STOREif a building, place, or container houses something, it is kept therehouse in The collection is currently housed in the British Museum. the plastic case that houses the batteries→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
house• Last year, the Tri-City Homeless Coalition housed 800 people.• The plush hotel once housed a casino and several restaurants.• The High Synagogue now houses a textile museum and you may buy tickets here for all the museums in the ghetto.• The refugees have been fed, clothed and housed by welfare organizations around the world.From Longman Business Dictionaryhousehouse /haʊs/ noun [countable]1COMMERCEa company, especially one that produces books, lends money, or designs clothesAmerica’s oldest publishing housethe French fashion house, Yves Saint Laurent2House used in the names of some office buildingsthe BBC television studios at Broadcasting House3HUMAN RESOURCES in house/out of house if work is done in house, it is done in a company’s offices by the company’s own staff. If work is done out of house, it is done outside the offices by people who are not directly employed by the companyWe used to handle our advertising in house.a team of out-of-house lawyers4COMMERCE clean/clear house American English to try to make your business more PROFITABLE by getting rid of parts of the business or staff that are making you lose moneyThey have been clearing house before the relaunch of the company.5on the house provided free to a customer by a restaurant, bar etcOrigin house1 Old English hus 