composing-room

The typesetter works in the composing-room.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A room in a printing establishment where type is set or composed: "composing-room" refers to the workspace in a printing office or newspaper where compositors arrange type for printing.

Usage Examples

• (The area where type was set for the newspaper.)
• (The physical space dedicated to typesetting.)

Advanced Usage

• "to work in the composing-room": to be employed as a compositor or typesetter.

  • He spent his entire career in the composing-room of the city's largest newspaper. (He worked as a typesetter there.)

• "composing-room floor": the physical area or department within a printing plant.

  • The composing-room floor was organized with rows of type cases. (The layout of the typesetting department.)

Variants and Related Words

• Compose (verb): to arrange type for printing.

  • The typesetter will compose the text before it goes to press. (Arrange the type.)

• Compositor (noun): a person who sets type in a composing-room.

  • The compositor carefully placed each letter into the frame. (The worker who sets type.)

• Composing stick (noun): a handheld tool used by compositors to hold type.

  • The compositor held the composing stick in his left hand. (A tool for holding type.)

Synonyms

• Typesetting room: a room where type is set.
• Printing room: a broader term that may include the composing-room as part of a larger printing facility.

Related Idioms

• In the composing-room: a phrase meaning in the process of being typeset.
  • The article is currently in the composing-room. (It is being typeset.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Compose out: to complete the typesetting of a piece of text.
  • The editor asked the compositor to compose out the final page. (Finish setting the type.)

Note: The term "composing-room" is primarily historical, used in the era of metal type and letterpress printing. In modern digital publishing, it has been largely replaced by terms like "layout department" or "prepress area."