floor

Everyday

1. A floor is the flat part of a room that you walk on. tree →
2. A floor is a level of a building, one above another, like the third floor. tree →
3. The ocean floor or forest floor is the ground at the bottom. tree →

In the lessons

maths: a flat surface to cover (area in square units: length × width; tiles and carpet) or a level of a building counted up and down («each floor has» gives a group to multiply); science: the forest floor, the ocean floor; everyday life: sweep the floor; safety: wet floor signs, keep toys off the floor; British «ground floor» is the US «first floor»

Examples

• The floor is 5 metres long and 4 metres wide. tree →
• The hotel has 12 floors. tree →
• Each floor has 9 rooms. tree →
• She tiles a floor of 20 square feet. tree →
• Please pick your clothes up off the floor. tree →
• Careful, the floor is wet. tree →
• Leaves cover the forest floor. tree →
• Our classroom is on the second floor. tree →

Note

With length and width it points to area (length × width); with «each floor has» it is a group for multiplying. Trap: going up from floor 3 to floor 7 is 4 floors, not 7. In the UK the floor at street level is the ground floor; in the USA it is the first floor.

In Jewish tradition

Gifts of grain and wine were set aside from the threshing-floor and winepress. The Feast of Tabernacles came after the harvest was gathered.

Interpretation. The law says part of the harvest must be given, as the priests' share. Sukkot is read as a time of thanks for the harvest.

Examples

• Thou shalt keep the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in from thy threshing-floor and from thy winepress. (Torah DEU.16.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the gift which ye set apart shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshing-floor, and as the fulness of the wine-press. (Torah NUM.18.27, JPS 1917) tree →
• Of the first of your dough ye shall set apart a cake for a gift; as that which is set apart of the threshing-floor, so shall ye set it apart. (Torah NUM.15.20, JPS 1917) tree →
• Behold, he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. (Writings RUT.3.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without. (Prophets 1KI.6.30, JPS 1917) tree →
• For he said: 'Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.' (Writings RUT.3.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

With length and width it points to area (length × width); with «each floor has» it is a group for multiplying. Trap: going up from floor 3 to floor 7 is 4 floors, not 7. In the UK the floor at street level is the ground floor; in the USA it is the first floor.