flood|ing /flʌ d I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT If flooding occurs, an area of land that is usually dry is covered with water after heavy rain or after a river or lake flows over its banks. □ The flooding, caused by three days of torrential rain, is the worst in sixty-five years.
flood|light /flʌ dla I t/ (floodlights , floodlighting , floodlit )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Floodlights are very powerful lamps that are used outside to light public buildings, sports grounds, and other places at night.
2 VERB If a building or place is floodlit , it is lit by floodlights. □ [be V -ed] In the evening the facade is floodlit. □ [V n] A police helicopter hovered above, floodlighting the area.
floo d plain (flood plains ) also floodplain N‑COUNT A flood plain is a flat area on the edge of a river, where the ground consists of soil, sand, and rock left by the river when it floods.
floor ◆◆◇ /flɔː r / (floors , flooring , floored )
1 N‑COUNT The floor of a room is the part of it that you walk on. □ Jack's sitting on the floor watching TV. □ We painted the wooden floor with a white stain.
2 N‑COUNT A floor of a building is all the rooms that are on a particular level. □ [+ of ] It is on the fifth floor of the hospital. □ [+ of ] They occupied the first two floors of the tower.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft n N ] The ocean floor is the ground at the bottom of an ocean. The valley floor is the ground at the bottom of a valley.
4 N‑COUNT The place where official debates and discussions are held, especially between members of parliament, is referred to as the floor . □ [+ of ] The issues were debated on the floor of the House.
5 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] In a debate or discussion, the floor is the people who are listening to the arguments being put forward but who are not among the main speakers. □ The president is taking questions from the floor.
6 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The floor of a stock exchange is the large open area where trading is done. □ …the dealing floor at Standard Chartered Bank.
7 N‑COUNT The floor in a place such as a club or disco is the area where people dance.
8 VERB [usu passive] If you are floored by something, you are unable to respond to it because you are so surprised by it. □ [be V -ed] He was floored by the announcement. □ [V -ed] He seemed floored by a string of scandals.
9 → see also dance floor , first floor , floored , flooring , ground floor , shop floor
10 PHRASE If you take the floor , you start speaking in a debate or discussion. If you are given the floor , you are allowed to do this. □ Ministers took the floor to denounce the decision to suspend constitutional rule. □ Only members would be given the floor.
11 PHRASE If you take to the floor , you start dancing at a dance or disco. □ The happy couple and their respective parents took to the floor.
12 PHRASE If you say that prices or sales have fallen through the floor , you mean that they have suddenly decreased. □ Property prices have dropped through the floor.
13 PHRASE If you wipe the floor with someone, you defeat them completely in a competition or discussion. [INFORMAL ] □ He could wipe the floor with the Prime Minister.
14 → see also factory floor
floor|board /flɔː r bɔː r d/ (floorboards ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Floorboards are the long pieces of wood that a wooden floor is made up of.
floored /flɔː r d/ ADJ A room or part of a room that is floored with a particular material has a floor made of that material. □ The aisle was floored with ancient bricks. ● COMB Floored is also a combining form. □ They had to cross the large marble-floored hall.
floor|ing /flɔː r I ŋ/ (floorings ) N‑VAR Flooring is a material that is used to make the floor of a room. □ Quarry tiles are a popular kitchen flooring.
floo r lamp (floor lamps ) N‑COUNT A floor lamp is a tall electric light which stands on the floor in a living room. [AM ] in BRIT, use standard lamp
floo r show (floor shows ) also floorshow N‑COUNT A floor show is a series of performances by dancers, singers, or comedians at a night club.
floo|zy /fluː zi/ (floozies ) N‑COUNT If you refer to a woman as a floozy , you disapprove of her sexual behaviour and the fact that she wears vulgar clothes. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED , DISAPPROVAL ]
flop /flɒ p/ (flops , flopping , flopped )
1 VERB If you flop into a chair, for example, you sit down suddenly and heavily because you are so tired. □ [V prep/adv] Bunbury flopped down upon the bed and rested his tired feet. □ [V prep/adv] She flopped, exhausted, on to a sofa.
2 VERB If something flops onto something else, it falls there heavily or untidily. □ [V prep/adv] The briefcase flopped onto the desk. □ [V prep/adv] His hair flopped over his left eye.
3 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] If something is a flop , it is completely unsuccessful. [INFORMAL ] □ It is the public who decide whether a film is a hit or a flop.
4 VERB If something flops , it is completely unsuccessful. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] The film flopped badly at the box office.