house

I. noun (plural houses) Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English hous, from Old English hūs; akin to Old High German hūs house Date: before 12th century 1. a building that serves as living quarters for one or a few families ; home 2. a. (1) a shelter or refuge (as a nest or den) of a wild animal (2) a natural covering (as a test or shell) that encloses and protects an animal or a colony of zooids b. a building in which something is housed <

a carriage house

> 3. a. one of the 12 equal sectors in which the celestial sphere is divided in astrology b. a zodiacal sign that is the seat of a planet's greatest influence 4. a. household b. a family including ancestors, descendants, and kindred <

the house of Tudor

> 5. a. a residence for a religious community or for students b. the community or students in residence 6. a. a legislative, deliberative, or consultative assembly; especially one constituting a division of a bicameral body b. the building or chamber where such an assembly meets c. a quorum of such an assembly 7. a. a place of business or entertainment <

a movie house

> b. (1) a business organization <

a publishing house

> (2) a gambling establishment c. the audience in a theater or concert hall <

a full house on opening night

> 8. the circular area 12 feet in diameter surrounding the tee and within which a curling stone must rest in order to count 9. [from The Warehouse, Chicago dance club that pioneered the style] a type of dance music mixed by a disc jockey that features overdubbing with a heavy repetitive drumbeat and repeated electronic melody lines • houseful noun • houseless adjective • houselessness noun II. verb (housed; housing) Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to provide with living quarters or shelter b. to store in a house 2. to encase, enclose, or shelter as if by putting in a house 3. to serve as a shelter or container for ; contain <

buildings that house government offices

> intransitive verb to take shelter ; lodge