English Reference

Word

hall

Phoneticshall

US/ˈhɔɫ/

UK/hˈɔːl/

Definitions

01a corridor

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a passage in a building that leads to other rooms.

n. a corridor or hallway providing access to various rooms within a building.

“I left my umbrella in the hall by the front door.”

“The apartment features a long, narrow hall that connects the living area to the bedrooms at the rear of the property.”

02a large meeting room

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a large room used for meetings, concerts, or public events.

n. a large public or communal building or room used for meetings, social events, or performances.

“The town hall was packed with people waiting for the mayor to speak.”

“The local community hall serves as a versatile space for everything from morning yoga classes to evening political debates.”

03student accommodation

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun British English

n. a building at a university where students live.

n. a university building providing residential accommodation for students; often used in the plural 'halls of residence'.

“Most first-year students choose to live in a hall on campus.”

“Living in university halls provides students with a structured social environment during their transition to independent academic life.”

04a large country house

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English

n. a large, important house in the countryside, often with a long history.

n. a large country house or manor, historically the centre of a landed estate.

“We spent the afternoon touring an old hall built in the seventeenth century.”

“The ancestral hall stood at the end of a long lime-tree avenue, its grey stone walls reflecting centuries of architectural additions.”

05a dining area

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English

n. a large room in a college or school where people eat their meals together.

n. a large dining room in a school, college, or university, or the formal meal served there.

“The students gathered in the hall for lunch at twelve o'clock.”

“Formal hall is held every Thursday evening, requiring students to wear academic gowns while dining at the long oak tables.”

Synonyms

canteenrefectorydining room

06a living room

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Dialect

n. the main room in a house where people sit and relax.

n. the principal room of a private house used for relaxing and entertaining guests.

“We sat in the hall and watched the news together after dinner.”

“The family gathered in the hall, which was the largest and most comfortably furnished room in the bungalow.”

Synonyms

living roomloungesitting room

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'down the hall' to indicate direction within a building.

Etymology

* As an English, Scottish, Irish, German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish surname: all from the noun hall. The name was likely reinforced by similar sounding words such as Swedish häll (“rock slab”). * As a Chinese surname, variant Romanization of 何, 賀 /贺 (hè), see He. ** (locomotive): The locomotives were named after English and Welsh country houses with 'Hall' in their titles. ** (British and Scandinavian surnames): From the buildings, halls

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
Frequency
Very common
Level
A2 · ElementaryOxford
Updated

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