floor

n. & v.
—n.
1 a the lower surface of a room. b the boards etc. of which it is made.
2 a the bottom of the sea, a cave, a cavity, etc. b any level area.
3 all the rooms etc. on the same level of a building; a storey (lives on the ground floor; walked up to the sixth floor).
4 a (in a legislative assembly) the part of the house in which members sit and from which they speak. b the right to speak next in debate (gave him the floor).
5 Stock Exch. the large central hall where trading takes place.
6 the minimum of prices, wages, etc.
7 colloq. the ground.
—v.tr.
1 furnish with a floor; pave.
2 bring to the ground; knock (a person) down.
3 colloq. confound, baffle (was floored by the puzzle).
4 colloq. get the better of; overcome.
5 serve as the floor of (leopard skins floored the hall).
Phrases and idioms:
first (US second) floor the floor above the ground floor. floor-lamp US a standard lamp. floor-leader US the leader of a party in a legislative assembly. floor manager 1 the stage manager of a television production.
2 a shopwalker. floor plan a diagram of the rooms etc. on one storey of a building. floor-polish a manufactured substance used for polishing floors. floor show an entertainment presented on the floor (as opposed to the stage) of a nightclub etc. floor-walker US a shopwalker. from the floor (of a speech etc.) given by a member of the audience, not by those on the platform etc.
take the floor
1 begin to dance on a dance-floor etc.
2 speak in a debate.
Derivatives:
floorless adj.
Etymology: OE flor f. Gmc