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roof

Pronunciation: /ruːf/

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Definition of roof

noun (plural roofs)

  • 1the structure forming the upper covering of a building or vehicle: the rain woke him, hammering on the roof a thatched roof a car with a vinyl roof [as modifier]:roof timbers
  • the top inner surface of a covered area or space; the ceiling:the roof of the cave fell in
  • used to signify a house or other building, especially in the context of hospitality or shelter:helping those without a roof over their heads they slept under the same roof
  • 2the upper limit or level of prices or wages:starting salary £12,185, rising to a roof of £16,835

verb

[with object]
  • cover with a roof:the yard had been roughly roofed over with corrugated iron
  • function as the roof of:fan vaults roof these magnificent buildings

Phrases

go through the roof

informal
  • 1(of prices or figures) reach extreme or unexpected heights: rents have gone through the roof
  • 2 (also hit the roof) suddenly become very angry: when she surprised him in bed with another woman she hit the roof

raise the roof

see raise.

the roof of the world

the Himalayas.

Derivatives

roofless

adjective

Origin:

Old English hrōf, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse hróf 'boat shed', Dutch roef 'deckhouse'. English alone has the general sense 'covering of a house'; other Germanic languages use forms related to thatch

Spelling help

The most usual plural of roof is roofs, although rooves is sometimes used.

roof in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of roof in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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