room

plural rooms · alternative obsolete roome

1. archaiccountableuncountableAn opportunity or scope (to do something).First known use 9th c.

   Nor shalt thou give me room to doubt whether it be necessity or love, that inspires this condescending impulse.

   1748, [Samuel Richardson], Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   Thou lorde whiche knowest the hertes of all men, shewe whether thou hast chosen of these two, that the one maye take the roume of this ministracion, and apostleshippe from the which Judas by transgression fell, that he myght goo to his awne place.

   1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts

2. uncountableSpace for something, or to carry out an activity.First known use 10th c.

   He explains they have enough room to stand and lie down, points out the "little cup to brush our teeth", and the place where they pray.

   2010 August 27, Jonathan Franklin, The Guardian

3. archaiccountableuncountableA particular portion of space.First known use 11th c.

   When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 14:8

   1 more example

   If he have but twelve pence in his purse, he will give it for the best room in a playhouse.

   1614, Thomas Overbury, Characters

   Synonyms: elbow room, legroom, space

4. figurativelyuncountableSufficient space for or to do something.First known use 15th c.

   There was no prince in the empire who had room for such an alliance.

   1716 March 12 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 21. Thursday, March 2. [1716.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC

   1 more example

   There are major disagreements within the Coalition and politicians always want to retain room for manoeuvre.

   2010 September 12, Roger Bootle, The Telegraph

5. countableuncountablenauticalA space between the timbers of a ship's frame.First known use 15th c.
6. countableobsoleteuncountableA place; a stead.

   A ram was accepted as a vicarious sacrifice in room of the royal victim.

   1900, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, 2nd edition, volume 2, page 37

   1 more example

   For this purpose I have shown that no acquisitions of guilt can compensate the loss of that solid inward comfort of mind, which is the sure companion of innocence and virtue; nor can in the least balance the evil of that horror and anxiety which, in their room, guilt introduces into our bosoms.

   1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

7. countableA separate part of a building, enclosed by walls, a floor and a ceiling.First known use 15th c.

   Miss Bingley made no answer, and soon afterwards she got up and walked about the room.

   1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms: chamber, quarters

8. countable(One's) bedroom.

   Go to your room!

   2 more examples

   She was so mad she wouldn't speak to me for quite a spell, but at last I coaxed her into going up to Miss Emmeline's room and fetching down a tintype of the missing Deacon man.

   1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VI, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

   ‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’

   1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

9. countablein pluraluncountableA set of rooms inhabited by someone; one's lodgings.First known use 17th c.
10. countablemetonymicallysingularuncountableusuallyThe people in a room.First known use 17th c.

    The room was on its feet.

    2 more examples

    He was good at reading rooms.

    It was fun to watch her work the room.

11. countableuncountablebusinessAn area for working in a coal mine.First known use 17th c.
12. countableuncountablecavingA portion of a cave that is wider than a passage.First known use 17th c.

    Synonyms: chamber

13. InternetcountableAn IRC or chat room.First known use 20th c.

    Some users may not be able to access the AOL room.

    1 more example

    Here in the room we are as one / Together you and me, together you and me / Hours connect / As we switch on

    2000, “My Internet Girl”, performed by Aaron Carter

14. countableuncountableA place or position in society; office; rank; post, sometimes when vacated by its former occupant.

    Let Bianca take her sister's room.

    c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

    3 more examples

    When ſhee that rules in Rhamnis golden gates, […] Shall make me ſolely Emperour of Aſia, Then ſhall your meeds and vallours be aduaunſt To roomes of honour and Nobilitie.

    c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene iii

    When he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 2:22

    Neither that I look for a higher room in heaven.

    1848, William Tyndale, edited by Henry Walter, Doctrinal Treatises and Introductions to Different Portions of the Holy Scriptures

15. countableuncountableA quantity of furniture sufficient to furnish one room.

    “I understand you need some furniture and can’t get no credit.” I liked to fell over. He say, “I’ll give you all the credit you want, but you got to pay the interest on it.” I told him, “Give me three rooms worth and charge whatever you want.”

    1985, August Wilson, Fences

present singular third person rooms · participle present rooming · participle past roomed · past roomed · alternative obsolete roome

1. intransitiveTo reside, especially as a boarder or tenant.

   Doctor Watson roomed with Sherlock Holmes at Baker Street.

   2 more examples

   Even without looking up, I knew right away who it was. It was Robert Ackley, this guy that roomed right next to me.

   1951 July 16, J[erome] D[avid] Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, page 25

   But, then, running into the guy who rooms across the hall from me—in the Paris Metro?

   1971 June 13, Paul Goldberger, “On the Champs — Elysees: ‘Hey, Aren't You the Girl Who Sits Across From Me in Abnormal Psych?’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

2. transitiveTo assign to a room; to allocate a room to.

   […] convinced (with no scientific evidence) that they would contract the dread disease by breathing the same air in which the patient was roomed, by touching the patient or even by changing the sheets of a patient's bed.

   1988, Arthur Frederick Ide, AIDS hysteria, page 12

comparative more room · superlative most room

1. dialectalobsoleteWide; spacious; roomy.

comparative more room · superlative most room

1. dialectalobsoleteFar; at a distance; wide in space or extent.
2. nauticalOff from the wind.

1. alternativeuncountableAlternative form of roum (“deep blue dye”).