hoover

Everyday

1. (UK, informal) To clean a floor or carpet with a vacuum cleaner. tree →
2. (UK) A vacuum cleaner, from the brand name Hoover. tree →
3. (informal) To eat or take in something very fast, as in «He hoovered up his dinner». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life at home: «Can you hoover your room?» It is a chore word. In Britain and Ireland people use «hoover» for any vacuum cleaner, whatever the brand. Phrase: hoover up — to suck up or to eat quickly.

Examples

• Please hoover the living room before Nan comes. tree →
• I hoovered under my bed and found my missing sock. tree →
• The hoover is in the cupboard under the stairs. tree →
• The dog hoovered up the crumbs. tree →
• He hoovered up three slices of pizza. tree →
• Dad was hoovering the stairs when the doorbell rang. tree →
• Our new hoover is very loud. tree →

Note

Regular verb: hoovered. As a brand the noun takes a capital (Hoover), but as an everyday word many write it small. In the USA people say «vacuum» instead. Same meaning: vacuum, vacuum cleaner.