portiere

Thân thiện

A heavy portiere hangs across the arched entrance to the library.

Definition

Noun: A portiere is a heavy curtain, typically made of thick fabric, that is hung across a doorway. Its primary function is to block drafts, light, or sound, or to provide privacy between rooms.

Usage

A portiere is used specifically for doorways, not windows. It is often found in older homes, theaters, or rooms where a more substantial barrier than a standard door is desired or where a door is absent.

Examples

• The heavy velvet portiere kept the cold air from the hallway out of the warm library.
• She drew the portiere across the archway to create a private dressing area.
• In the Victorian house, every doorway seemed to be adorned with a thick, tasseled portiere.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Architectural Context: The use of portieres was especially common in the 19th and early 20th centuries before central heating became widespread, serving as an effective insulator against drafts in large houses.
• Theatrical Use: In theater, a portiere might be used on stage to represent a door or to conceal backstage areas.

Variants and Related Words

• Portière: An alternative, less common spelling.
• Drapery (n): A more general term for cloth hangings, which can include curtains, portieres, and other fabric decorations.
• Tapestry (n): A heavy woven textile often used for wall hangings or, historically, for insulating doorways and walls, similar in function to a portiere.

Synonyms

• Door curtain
• Door hanging
• Drapery (when used in a doorway context)

Antonyms

• Door
• Open doorway
• Archway (an open passage)

Related Phrases

• To draw the portiere: To pull the curtain closed across the doorway.
• Hung across the doorway: A common descriptive phrase for how a portiere is installed.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a heavy curtain hung across a doorway