floor-lamp

A floor-lamp stands beside a comfortable armchair in the living room.

Definition

Noun: A "floor-lamp" is a type of electric lamp that stands on the floor, typically on a tall, slender base, rather than being placed on a table or desk. It is designed to provide general or task lighting in a room.

Usage Examples

• (A tall lamp standing on the floor for task lighting.)
• (A lamp positioned on the floor to illuminate the area.)

Advanced Usage

• "to adjust a floor-lamp": to change the height, angle, or brightness of the lamp.
  • He adjusted the floor-lamp to shine directly on his book. (He moved the lamp's head or arm for better light.)
• "a floor-lamp with a dimmer": a lamp that allows the user to control the light intensity.
  • The floor-lamp with a dimmer creates a cozy atmosphere. (The lamp has a switch for varying brightness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Floor lamp (n): an alternative spelling (without a hyphen) meaning the same object.
  • The floor lamp in the hallway is very elegant. (Same meaning as floor-lamp.)
• Table lamp (n): a similar lamp designed to sit on a table or desk, not on the floor.
  • A table lamp is shorter than a floor-lamp. (Comparison between types of lamps.)
• Torchière (n): a specific type of floor-lamp that directs light upward toward the ceiling.
  • The torchière provides indirect lighting for the room. (A floor-lamp with an upward-facing shade.)

Synonyms

• Standing lamp: a lamp that stands on the floor.
  • He bought a standing lamp for the bedroom. (Synonym for floor-lamp.)
• Tall lamp: a lamp with a long stem, typically placed on the floor.
  • A tall lamp can illuminate a large area. (Descriptive synonym.)
• Uplight: a lamp that directs light upward, often a floor-lamp.
  • The uplight in the corner softens the room's shadows. (Synonym focusing on light direction.)

Related Idioms

• "to light up the floor": not a standard idiom, but a descriptive phrase meaning to illuminate the floor area.
  • The floor-lamp lights up the floor near the sofa. (Literal use of the lamp's function.)
• "to stand like a floor-lamp": an informal, non-standard simile meaning to stand still and upright.
  • He stood there like a floor-lamp, not moving at all. (Figurative comparison for stillness.)