floor: Meaning and Definition of

floor

Pronunciation: (flôr, flōr), [key]
— n.
  1. that part of a room, hallway, or the like, that forms its lower enclosing surface and upon which one walks.
  2. a continuous, supporting surface extending horizontally throughout a building, having a number of rooms, apartments, or the like, and constituting one level or stage in the structure; story.
  3. a level, supporting surface in any structure: the elevator floor.
  4. one of two or more layers of material composing a floor: rough floor; finish floor.
  5. a platform or prepared level area for a particular use: a threshing floor.
  6. the bottom of any more or less hollow place: the floor of a tunnel.
  7. a more or less flat extent of surface: the floor of the ocean.
  8. the part of a legislative chamber, meeting room, etc., where the members sit, and from which they speak.
  9. the right of one member to speak from such a place in preference to other members: The senator from Alaska has the floor.
  10. the area of a floor, as in a factory or retail store, where items are actually made or sold, as opposed to offices, supply areas, etc.: There are only two salesclerks on the floor.
  11. the main part of a stock or commodity exchange or the like, as distinguished from the galleries, platform, etc.
  12. the bottom, base, or minimum charged, demanded, or paid: The government avoided establishing a price or wage floor.
  13. an underlying stratum, as of ore, usually flat.
    1. the bottom of a hull.
    2. any of a number of deep, transverse framing members at the bottom of a steel or iron hull, generally interrupted by and joined to any vertical keel or keelsons.
    3. the lowermost member of a frame in a wooden vessel.
  14. to overwhelm completely; defeat: He expected to mop the floor with his opponents.
  15. to arise to address a meeting.
—v.t.
  1. to cover or furnish with a floor.
  2. to bring down to the floor or ground; knock down: He floored his opponent with one blow.
  3. to overwhelm; defeat.
  4. to confound or puzzle; nonplus: I was floored by the problem.
  5. to push (a foot-operated accelerator pedal) all the way down to the floor of a vehicle, for maximum speed or power.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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