mansion

Everyday

1. A very large, grand house, usually belonging to a rich person. tree →
2. (UK, in names) Mansions: a block of flats, such as «Victoria Mansions». tree →

In the lessons

In stories mansions belong to rich families, villains or ghosts; they have many rooms, big gardens and gates. In everyday life people joke «it's not a mansion» about a small house. Phrases: a huge mansion, a haunted mansion, a country mansion.

Examples

• The film star lives in a huge mansion with a pool. tree →
• The old mansion on the hill was said to be haunted. tree →
• The mansion had twenty bedrooms. tree →
• We visited a mansion with beautiful gardens. tree →
• Our flat is small; it's not exactly a mansion! tree →
• The family lost their money and had to sell the mansion. tree →
• Gold gates led up to the mansion. tree →
• Victoria Mansions is a block of flats near the station. tree →
• High up, on the woody hillside, stood the new mansion. tree →

Note

Countable: mansions. Do not confuse with «mention» (to speak about), which sounds a little similar. Similar: manor, stately home (UK), villa, palace (even bigger, for royalty).