Word
stories
Phoneticssto·ries
US/ˈstɔɹiz/
UK/stˈɔːɹɪz/
Definitions
01tales or narratives
n. descriptions of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment.
n. accounts of imaginary or real people and events, typically narrated for entertainment or historical record.
“The children loved listening to bedtime stories about dragons and brave knights.”
“The anthology contains a diverse collection of short stories that explore the complexities of human relationships in urban environments.”
Synonyms
02levels of a building
n. the different floors or levels in a house or building.
n. the levels or floors of a building, representing the space between one floor and the next.
“The new office building is ten stories high and has a great view.”
“The architect designed a residential complex consisting of several twelve-story towers connected by a central garden plaza.”
American English
Usage
In American English, 'story' refers to both a tale and a floor; in British English, 'storey' is used for floors.
Pitfall
The house has three storeys.
The house has three stories.
In American English, 'stories' is the plural for building levels. In British English, the spelling is 'storeys'.
Teaching tip
When teaching British English learners, point out that 'stories' only refers to tales, while 'storeys' refers to building levels.
03to tell or record
v. to tell or write about something as a story.
v. to narrate or record in history or legend; often used in the passive form 'storied'.
“The old legend stories the life of a king who lived in the forest.”
“The tapestry stories the events of the battle with remarkable detail and artistic skill.”
Literary · Archaic
Usage
This verb form is rare in modern speech and is mostly found in older literature or formal historical accounts.
Collocations
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/stories