house-warming

A family hosts a house-warming party in their new home.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A party celebrating a move to a new home: "house-warming" refers to a social gathering held by someone who has recently moved into a new residence, intended to celebrate the new home and often to show it to friends and family.

Usage Examples

• (A party for the new home.)
• (A gift for the celebration of the new house.)
• (The celebration of the new home.)

Advanced Usage

• "house-warming gift": a present given to someone who has recently moved into a new home.
  • A set of kitchen towels makes a practical house-warming gift. (A useful present for the new home.)
• "house-warming party": the specific event itself.
  • The house-warming party was held on the first weekend after moving in. (The celebration event.)

Variants and Related Words

• Housewarming (n): a variant spelling without the hyphen, commonly used in modern English.
  • We are invited to their housewarming next Saturday. (The party for the new home.)
• Warm (adj): having or giving out heat; "house-warming" metaphorically "warms" the new house with social joy.
  • The house-warming made the new place feel warm and welcoming. (The party brought warmth to the new home.)

Synonyms

• House party: a party held in a private home (though not specifically for a new home).
  • They hosted a house party to show off their new house. (A party in a home.)
• New-home celebration: a general term for any event marking a new residence.
  • The new-home celebration included a barbecue and a tour of the house. (A celebration for a new home.)

Related Idioms

• Warm the house: an informal phrase meaning to make a new home feel lived-in and comfortable.
  • Let's have a small gathering to warm the house. (To make the new home feel cosy through social activity.)
• Break in the house: a less common idiom for using a new home for the first time socially.
  • The house-warming party helped break in the house. (To begin using the new home with guests.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Warm up: to become more lively or enthusiastic; used metaphorically in the context of a house-warming.
  • The party really warmed up after the music started. (The atmosphere became more energetic.)