Note: The translation for this entry is currently under quality review. Some content is temporarily displayed in English only.
house
/hʌʊs/
When used as a noun to describe a building, "house" usually refers to the physical structure itself. If you are talking about the emotional feeling of living there or the people inside, the word "home" is more common. When used as a verb meaning to provide shelter, it is almost always transitive, meaning it needs an object (e.g., "to house someone"). In the context of royal families or dynasties, "House" is often capitalized (e.g., "The House of Bourbon") to show it is a formal title.
💬Casual Conversation
yo is your sister still at the house or did she dip?
she's gone. bet.
Meanings
A building for human habitation, especially one that is lived in by a family, be it a single dwelling-unit or a duplex.
"They bought a small house on the edge of town."
A noble family or dynasty, often referring to their lineage and ancestral home.
"The House of Windsor is the current royal house of the United Kingdom."
To provide with shelter or accommodation; to store something in a particular place.
"The new facility will house over five hundred refugees."
Examples
We finally found a house we can actually afford!
I just want to go house and sleep for days.
Wait, this house is way smaller than the photos showed!
You can't just house your weird pets in my room!
The whole house is a mess, go clean it now!
Does this museum house the original paintings or copies?
The royal house is facing a massive scandal right now.
Who is going to house the guests for the weekend?
Collocations & Compounds
house warming party
A party given to celebrate moving into a new home.
open house
An occasion when a house is open for people to visit, often for potential buyers.
house guest
A person who stays as a visitor in someone's home.
full house
A situation where all available seats or rooms in a building are occupied.
royal house
The family or dynasty of a reigning monarch.
Idioms & Sayings
bring the house down
To cause an audience to laugh or applaud loudly.
on the house
Provided free of charge by a business, usually a restaurant or bar.
safe as houses
Completely safe; secure.
eat someone out of house and home
To consume a large amount of someone's food, often as a guest.
house-proud
Taking great pride in the cleanliness and decoration of one's home.
Cultural Context
For as long as humans have walked the earth, the concept of a house has evolved from a mere survival mechanism—a cave or a hut to ward off predators—into a profound psychological anchor. In the realm of psychology and sociology, a house is not merely a physical structure made of brick, wood, or stone; it is an externalization of the self. When we speak of "making a house a home," we are describing the process of imprinting our identity onto a space, transforming a generic shelter into a sanctuary that reflects our internal world.
Throughout history, the symbolic power of the house has appeared in our greatest myths and literary masterpieces. Consider the Gothic tradition, where the house often becomes a character itself—think of the oppressive atmosphere of Usher's house in Edgar Allan Poe's stories. In these narratives, the decay of the physical house mirrors the psychological collapse of the family lineage dwelling within it. This highlights the deep-seated human belief that our dwellings absorb the energy and history of those who inhabit them.
Furthermore, the "House" as a dynasty—such as the House of Tudor or the House of Bourbon—demonstrates how the word transcends architecture to represent legacy and bloodline. In this context, the house is an invisible structure of power and inheritance, a social architecture that dictates status and destiny. Whether it is the royal palaces of Europe or a modest cottage in the countryside, the house serves as the primary boundary between the chaotic public sphere and the intimate private realm.
Ultimately, our obsession with the house stems from a fundamental human need for security and belonging. The act of housing oneself is an act of claiming a piece of the universe and declaring it "mine." From the intricate Feng Shui practices of Asia to the open-concept layouts of modern Western design, the way we arrange our houses reveals our deepest values: whether we prioritize privacy over community, tradition over innovation, or minimalism over abundance. The house remains the most intimate mirror of the human condition.