stairway

Everyday

A set of stairs inside or outside a building, often with the walls or space around it. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and safety lessons, stairways are routes out of a building in a fire; lifts (elevators) should not be used. In stories and songs, a stairway can lead somewhere mysterious or symbolic, like «a stairway to the stars».

Examples

• Use the stairway, not the lift, if there's a fire. tree →
• A narrow stairway led up to the attic. tree →
• The old castle had a spiral stairway. tree →
• Don't play on the stairway — someone might trip. tree →
• The stairway was lit with small lamps. tree →
• The emergency stairway is at the end of the corridor. tree →
• It was a small room on the ground floor, with a tiny window under the stairway. tree →

Note

Countable; one word. Similar: staircase, stairs, steps. Do not confuse «stair» with «stare» (to look hard) — homophones.