a building in which people live; residence for human beings.

a household.

( often initial capital letter ) a family, including ancestors and descendants

the great houses of France; the House of Hapsburg.

a building for any purpose

a house of worship.

a theater, concert hall, or auditorium

a vaudeville house.

the audience of a theater or the like.

a place of shelter for an animal, bird, etc.

the building in which a legislative or official deliberative body meets.

( initial capital letter ) the body itself, esp. of a bicameral legislature

the House of Representatives.

a quorum of such a body.

( often initial capital letter ) a commercial establishment; business firm

the House of Rothschild; a publishing house.

a gambling casino.

the management of a commercial establishment or of a gambling casino

rules of the house.

an advisory or deliberative group, esp. in church or college affairs.

a college in an English-type university.

a residential hall in a college or school; dormitory.

the members or residents of any such residential hall.

Informal . a brothel; whorehouse.

British . a variety of lotto or bingo played with paper and pencil, esp. by soldiers as a gambling game.

Also called parish. Curling . the area enclosed by a circle 12 or 14 ft. (3.7 or 4.2 m) in diameter at each end of the rink, having the tee in the center.

Nautical . any enclosed shelter above the weather deck of a vessel

bridge house; deck house.

Astrology . one of the 12 divisions of the celestial sphere, numbered counterclockwise from the point of the eastern horizon.

to put or receive into a house, dwelling, or living quarters

More than 200 students were housed in the dormitory.

to give shelter to; harbor; lodge

to house flood victims in schools.

to provide with a place to work, study, or the like

This building houses our executive staff.

to provide storage space for; be a receptacle for or repository of

The library houses 600,000 books.

to remove from exposure; put in a safe place.

Nautical .

to stow securely.

to lower (an upper mast) and make secure, as alongside the lower mast.

to heave (an anchor) home.

Carpentry .

to fit the end or edge of (a board or the like) into a notch, hole, or groove.

to form (a joint) between two pieces of wood by fitting the end or edge of one into a dado of the other.

to take shelter; dwell.

of, pertaining to, or noting a house.

for or suitable for a house

house paint.

of or being a product made by or for a specific retailer and often sold under the store's own label

You'll save money on the radio if you buy the house brand.

served by a restaurant as its customary brand

the house wine.

bring down the house

to call forth vigorous applause from an audience; be highly successful

The children's performances brought down the house.

clean house. clean ( def. 48 ) .

dress the house

Theater .

to fill a theater with many people admitted on free passes; paper the house.

to arrange or space the seating of patrons in such a way as to make an audience appear larger or a theater or nightclub more crowded than it actually is.

keep house

to maintain a home; manage a household.

like a house on fire or afire

very quickly; with energy or enthusiasm

The new product took off like a house on fire.

on the house

as a gift from the management; free

Tonight the drinks are on the house.

put or set one's house in order

to settle one's affairs.

to improve one's behavior or correct one's faults

It is easy to criticize others, but it would be better to put one's own house in order first.

noun

abode , apartment , box * , building , bullpen , castle , cave * , commorancy , condo , condominium , co-op , coop , crash pad * , crib * , cubbyhole * , den , diggings , digs , domicile , dump * , dwelling , edifice , flat , flophouse * , habitation , hole in the wall , home , home plate , homestead , joint , kennel , layout , lean-to * , mansion , pad , pied--terre , pigpen * , pigsty , rack * , residence , residency , roof , roost * , setup , shack , shanty , turf *notes:a house is the building or structure in which one lives; home is the place one lives with the pleasant connotations or family ties included , clan , dynasty , family tree , folk , folks , household , kin , kindred , line , lineage , mnage , race , stock , tradition , tribenotes:a house is the building or structure in which one lives; home is the place one lives with the pleasant connotations or family ties included , company , concern , corporation , firm , organization , outfit , partnershipnotes:a house is the building or structure in which one lives; home is the place one lives with the pleasant connotations or family ties included , commons , congress , council , legislative body , legislature , parliamentnotes:a house is the building or structure in which one lives; home is the place one lives with the pleasant connotations or family ties included , lodging , place , business , enterprise , establishment , tribe , (religious house) monastery , accommodate , ancestry , audience , bungalow , burrow , cabin , casa , casino , chteau , chateau , church , convent , cot , cottage , cover , dorm , dormitory , dump , duplex , family , gingerbread , grange , harbor , heartbreak , hovel , hut , hutch , igloo , kiosk , live , lodge , manor , manse , monastery , nest , palace , palafitte , parliament , pavilion , phalanstery , quarter , rectory , reside , senate , shell , shelter , split-level , store , stow , structure , synagogue , temple , tenement , theater , topek , villa

verb

accommodate , bed , berth , bestow , billet , board , bunk , domicile , lodge , put up , quarter , room , abide , dwell , reside , haven , shelter