# floor

/ˈfɫɔɹ/ (US) · /flˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/floor
Updated: 2026-04-30

## Senses

### 1. surface you walk on

noun · CEFR A1

the flat surface that you walk on when you are inside a building.

For teachers: the interior bottom surface of a room or building, providing a structural base for walking.

- The children were playing with their wooden blocks on the living room floor.
- The architect specified polished concrete for the ground floor to create a seamless transition between the interior and the courtyard.

### 2. level of a building

noun · CEFR A1

one of the levels or storeys in a tall building.

For teachers: a horizontal division or storey within a building.

- Our office is located on the third floor of the building.
- The penthouse occupies the entire top floor, offering panoramic views of the city's historic district.

### 3. right to speak

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the right to speak during a formal meeting or debate.

For teachers: the formal right to address an assembly or parliament at a given time.

- The chairman gave the floor to the youngest member of the committee.
- Once the minister yielded the floor, several opposition members rose simultaneously to challenge the proposed budget cuts.

### 4. minimum limit

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the lowest possible level that a price or interest rate can reach.

For teachers: a lower limit or minimum threshold applied to prices, wages, or interest rates.

- The government set a price floor for milk to help local farmers.
- The contract includes an interest rate floor to protect the lender against a sudden drop in market volatility.

### 5. to surprise greatly

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to surprise or shock someone so much that they do not know what to say.

For teachers: to overwhelm or disconcert someone completely; to leave someone speechless with surprise.

- The news of her sudden promotion completely floored me.
- The sheer audacity of the proposal floored the board of directors, leaving them in stunned silence for several minutes.

### 6. to accelerate a car

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · American English

to push the gas pedal in a car all the way down to go very fast.

For teachers: to depress an accelerator pedal to its maximum limit.

- As soon as the light turned green, he floored it and sped away.
- Realising he was late for the final boarding call, he floored the accelerator as soon as he hit the open highway.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.