basement

Everyday

A basement is a room or floor of a building that is partly or fully under the ground. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, basements in North America are common and used for storage, laundry, playrooms or furnaces; they are less common in the UK and Australia, where people may say «cellar». In safety lessons, basements are a safe place during a tornado but can flood in heavy rain. In stories, especially spooky ones, the basement is dark and mysterious.

Examples

• We keep our old toys in the basement. tree →
• The washing machine is in the basement. tree →
• During a tornado warning, go to the basement. tree →
• The basement flooded after the storm. tree →
• The creaky stairs led down to the dark basement. tree →
• Our basement has a games room. tree →
• The shop sells shoes in the basement. tree →
• The basement is cool in summer. tree →
• There is a room in the basement of Miss Fulsom’s school where the nurses wait. tree →

Note

Countable. A basement is usually lived in or used as rooms; a «cellar» is often for storage, like wine or coal. In lifts or elevators, «B» or «LG» means basement or lower ground. Floodwater in a basement can be dangerous because of electricity.

In Jewish tradition

It means the raised base or platform around the Temple building in Ezekiel's vision. The side rooms rest on it.

Interpretation. Ezekiel's vision of the future Temple is described with careful measurements. Tradition treats it as a promise that the Temple will be rebuilt and holy.

Examples

• I saw also that the house had a raised basement round about; the foundations of the side-chambers were a full reed of six cubits to the joining. (Prophets EZK.41.8, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable. A basement is usually lived in or used as rooms; a «cellar» is often for storage, like wine or coal. In lifts or elevators, «B» or «LG» means basement or lower ground. Floodwater in a basement can be dangerous because of electricity.