hall
hall — noun
1. the area you step into when you enter a home or building, from where you can go
the area you step into when you enter a home or building, from where you can go to the other rooms and where you often leave outdoor clothes and shoes
Leo took off his wet shoes in the hall and walked into the kitchen.
A small rug in the hall helps keep dirt off the living-room floor.
collocation: in the hall
Yara left her shopping bags on the bench in the front hall.
The family pinned a notice on the hall board near the entrance.
- entrance hall
more formal or explicit; emphasises the entry function
- foyer
often used for larger public buildings rather than homes
- hallway
more common in American English; can also mean corridor
常見錯誤
2. a long, narrow passage inside a building such as a school, hotel, or apartment b
a long, narrow passage inside a building such as a school, hotel, or apartment block, with doors that open into separate rooms on one or both sides
The students' lockers line both walls of the school hall.
Aoi walked down the hotel hall looking for the ice machine.
down the hall: directional pattern
The hospital hall was quiet except for soft footsteps.
Each floor of the office has a long hall with meeting rooms on both sides.
Piotr pushed open the heavy door at the end of the dark hall.
- corridor
more formal; preferred in British English for this sense
- hallway
very common in American English for both entrance and passage
- passage
slightly more old-fashioned or literary
- passageway
used especially for narrow or connecting passages
用法筆記
In British English, 'hall' often means the entrance area (sense 1), while 'corridor' is preferred for a passageway with rooms on both sides. In American English, 'hallway' is common for both senses.
常見錯誤
3. a large room or building where people gather for events such as concerts, public
a large room or building where people gather for events such as concerts, public meetings, formal meals, or celebrations
The wedding reception was held in a beautiful hall with tall windows.
All the students gathered in the main hall for the morning assembly.
main hall: common compound
Ezra adjusted his guitar on stage as the concert hall lights dimmed for the show.
Joaquín rented a hall near the market for his daughter's birthday party.
The town hall is where the mayor meets with local residents each month.
- auditorium
more formal; suggests a room with tiered seating for an audience
- assembly hall
specifically for school or institutional gatherings
- banquet hall
specifically for formal meals and celebrations
- ballroom
specifically for dancing and formal social events
用法筆記
This sense often appears in compound nouns: 'concert hall', 'town hall', 'banquet hall', 'dance hall', 'city hall'. Many of these name the building itself, not just a room inside it.
4. a building on a university campus where students live in private or shared bedro
a building on a university campus where students live in private or shared bedrooms and use common kitchens and lounges
Tariro lives in a hall on the north side of the university campus.
The hall has a shared kitchen and lounge on each floor.
hall as student residence
Sirin moved into the student hall at the start of her first year.
Residents of the hall take turns cleaning the common room.
Each hall at the college has a warden who looks after the students.
- dormitory
common American term; can also mean a shared sleeping room
- residence hall
formal term used by universities in both BrE and AmE
- dorm
informal short form of dormitory, very common in US student speech
用法筆記
Frequently called 'hall of residence' in British English and 'dormitory' or 'dorm' in American English. In the US, 'hall' alone usually refers to an academic building (e.g. 'Science Hall').
常見錯誤
5. a large, impressive house in the countryside, often surrounded by gardens, parks
a large, impressive house in the countryside, often surrounded by gardens, parks, or farmland, and sometimes open to the public
The Greenwood family has owned the hall for over two hundred years.
Visitors can tour the great hall and the gardens every afternoon.
great hall: historic compound
The old hall was built in the seventeenth century on a large estate.
Élise wrote a report about the history of the manor hall.
The hall sits on a hill with views of fields and forests all around.
- manor house
specifically the main house on a country estate
- stately home
a British term for a large, impressive country house, often open to tourists
- country estate
includes the house plus the surrounding land and buildings
用法筆記
This sense is mostly found in British English, often as part of a house name (e.g. 'Dunham Hall', 'Wilton Hall'). In modern American English, 'hall' is rarely used for a country house.