room

noun

1. (archaic, countable, uncountable)An opportunity or scope (to do something).

   “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.”

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

2. (uncountable)Space for something, or to carry out an activity.

   “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.”

3. (archaic, countable, uncountable)A particular portion of space.

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

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

4. (figuratively, uncountable)Sufficient space for or to do something.

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

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

5. (countable, uncountable)A space between the timbers of a ship's frame.
6. (countable, obsolete, uncountable)A place; a stead.

   “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.”

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

7. (countable)A separate part of a building, enclosed by walls, a floor and a ceiling.

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

   “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.”

8. (countable)(One's) bedroom.

   “Go to your room!”

   “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.”

   “‘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.’”

9. (countable, in-plural, uncountable)A set of rooms inhabited by someone; one's lodgings.
10. (countable, metonymically, singular, uncountable, usually)The people in a room.

    “The room was on its feet.”

    “He was good at reading rooms.”

    “It was fun to watch her work the room.”

11. (countable, uncountable)An area for working in a coal mine.
12. (countable, uncountable)A portion of a cave that is wider than a passage.
13. (Internet, countable)An IRC or chat room.

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

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

14. (countable, uncountable)A place or position in society; office; rank; post, sometimes when vacated by its former occupant.

    “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.”

    “Let Bianca take her sister's room.”

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

    “Neither that I look for a higher room in heaven.”

15. (countable, uncountable)A 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.””

16. (alt-of, alternative, uncountable)Alternative form of roum (“deep blue dye”).

verb

1. (intransitive)To reside, especially as a boarder or tenant.

   “Doctor Watson roomed with Sherlock Holmes at Baker Street.”

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

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

2. (transitive)To 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.”

adj

1. (dialectal, obsolete)Wide; spacious; roomy.

adv

1. (dialectal, obsolete)Far; at a distance; wide in space or extent.
2. Off from the wind.