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mansion

 - 6 dictionary results

man⋅sion

[man-shuhn]
–noun
1. a very large, impressive, or stately residence.
2. manor house.
3. Often, mansions. British. a large building with many apartments; apartment house.
4. Oriental and Medieval Astronomy. each of 28 divisions of the ecliptic occupied by the moon on successive days.
5. Archaic. an abode or dwelling place.

Origin:
1325–75; ME < L mānsiōn- (s. of mānsiō) an abiding, abode. See manse, -ion

manor house

–noun
the house of the lord of a manor.
Also called mansion.


Origin:
1565–75
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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house   (hous)   
n.   pl. hous·es (hou'zĭz, -sĭz)
    1. A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family.

    2. A household or family.

    3. A facility, such as a theater or restaurant, that provides entertainment or food for the public: a movie house; the specialty of the house.

    4. The audience or patrons of such an establishment: a full house.

    5. A commercial firm: a brokerage house.

    6. A publishing company: a house that specializes in cookbooks.

    7. A gambling casino.

    8. Slang A house of prostitution.

    9. often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.

    10. The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.

    11. A quorum of such an assembly.

    12. One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.

    13. The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.

  1. Something, such as a burrow or shell, that serves as a shelter or habitation for a wild animal.

  2. A dwelling for a group of people, such as students or members of a religious community, who live together as a unit: a sorority house.

  3. A building that functions as the primary shelter or location of something: a carriage house; the lion house at the zoo.

    1. A facility, such as a theater or restaurant, that provides entertainment or food for the public: a movie house; the specialty of the house.

    2. The audience or patrons of such an establishment: a full house.

    3. A commercial firm: a brokerage house.

    4. A publishing company: a house that specializes in cookbooks.

    5. A gambling casino.

    6. Slang A house of prostitution.

    7. often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.

    8. The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.

    9. A quorum of such an assembly.

    10. One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.

    11. The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.

    1. A commercial firm: a brokerage house.

    2. A publishing company: a house that specializes in cookbooks.

    3. A gambling casino.

    4. Slang A house of prostitution.

    5. often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.

    6. The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.

    7. A quorum of such an assembly.

    8. One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.

    9. The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.

  4. A residential college within a university.

    1. often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.

    2. The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.

    3. A quorum of such an assembly.

    4. One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.

    5. The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.

  5. often House A family line including ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble family: the House of Orange.

    1. One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.

    2. The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.

  6. House music.

v.   (houz) housed, hous·ing, hous·es

v.   tr.
  1. To provide living quarters for; lodge: The cottage housed ten students.

  2. To shelter, keep, or store in or as if in a house: a library housing rare books.

  3. To contain; harbor.

  4. To fit into a socket or mortise.

  5. Nautical To secure or stow safely.

v.   intr.
  1. To reside; dwell.

  2. To take shelter.


[Middle English hous, from Old English hūs.]
man·sion   (mān'shən)   
n.  
  1. A large stately house.

  2. A manor house.

  3. Archaic

    1. A dwelling; an abode.

    2. mansions A separate dwelling in a large house or structure.

    3. See house.

    4. Any one of the 28 divisions of the moon's monthly path.

    1. See house.

    2. Any one of the 28 divisions of the moon's monthly path.


[Middle English, a dwelling, from Old French, from Latin mānsiō, mānsiōn-, from mānsus, past participle of manēre, to dwell, remain; see men-3 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

mansion 
c.1340, "the chief residence of a lord," from O.Fr. mansion, from L. mansionem (nom. mansio) "a staying, a remaining, night quarters, station," from manere "to stay, abide," from PIE *men- "to remain, wait for" (cf. Gk. menein "to remain," Pers. mandan "to remain"). Sense of "any large and stately house" is from 1512.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia

mansion

scenic device used in medieval theatrical staging. Individual mansions represented different locales in biblical stories and in scenes from the life of Christ as performed in churches. A mansion consisted of a small booth containing a stage with corner posts supporting a canopy and decorated curtains and often a chair and props to be used by the actors in that scene. Mansions were usually arranged elliptically in the nave of the church. Appropriate architectural features of the church were also used as mansions: the crypt served as the tomb of Christ or as hell and the choir loft was frequently used as heaven.

Learn more about mansion with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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