flight of stairs
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A continuous series of steps between one floor or landing and the next: A "flight of stairs" refers to a single, unbroken set of steps that connects two levels in a building, such as from one floor to another or from a floor to a landing.
Usage
- The term is used to describe a specific segment of a staircase. A complete staircase may consist of one or more flights.
- It is a countable noun. You can have "a flight of stairs," "two flights of stairs," etc.
- It is commonly used in architectural, construction, and everyday contexts when describing buildings.
Examples
- Noun:
- Her apartment is three flights of stairs up. (Her apartment is located three continuous sets of steps above the ground floor.)
- The old library had a magnificent marble flight of stairs. (The old library featured a grand, unbroken set of marble steps.)
- I'm out of breath after climbing that long flight of stairs. (I am breathless after ascending that lengthy series of steps.)
Advanced Usage
- "A flight of steps": This is a common and interchangeable variant. The meaning is identical.
- He ran up the flight of steps to the temple entrance.
- The term can be used metaphorically to imply a significant or arduous ascent, though this is less common.
- Recovering from the illness was like climbing a steep flight of stairs. (The recovery process was challenging and progressive.)
Variants and Related Words
- Flight of steps (n): A direct synonym for "flight of stairs."
- Staircase (n): The entire structure, which may include one or more flights, landings, and railings.
- Stairway (n): Another term for a staircase or a passage containing stairs.
- Stair (n): A single step within a flight.
Synonyms
- Staircase segment: A more technical description.
- Set of stairs: A simpler, more informal phrase with the same meaning.
Related Phrases
- Top of the flight: The highest point of that specific set of stairs.
- Wait for me at the top of the flight.
- Bottom of the flight: The lowest point of that specific set of stairs.
- The package was left at the bottom of the flight.
Notes
- The word "flight" in this context comes from an old sense meaning "a soaring or passing through the air," which was later applied to things that rise or ascend, like a set of stairs or a flock of birds. It emphasizes the act of ascending or descending in one continuous movement.
Noun
- a stairway (set of steps) between one floor or landing and the next