lobby

lobby — noun

1. people, companies, or organizations that act together to influence the choices m

1.名詞B2
釋義

people, companies, or organizations that act together to influence the choices made by the government or other officials, usually to serve their own interests.

例句

The oil industry's lobby fought against stricter pollution rules for factories.

lobby + for/against + noun — shows the group's position on an issue

A powerful farming lobby pushed the government to keep food prices low for shoppers.

同義詞
  • interest group

    broader term for any group that shares a common goal, not necessarily political

  • pressure group

    similar meaning, but may suggest more forceful or direct methods of persuasion

  • advocacy group

    focuses on promoting a specific cause rather than protecting self-interest

文法句型

[adjective] + lobby

the + [area] + lobby

lobby + for/against + noun

用法筆記

Often combined with a modifier before the word to show what the group cares about, such as 'farming lobby', 'gun lobby', or 'environmental lobby'.

常見錯誤

❌The oil lobby bribed the minister to change the law.
✅The oil lobby pressured the minister to relax the rules.
💡'lobby' refers to legal persuasion through meetings and arguments, not illegal payments.
❌I waited for my friend in the political lobby.
✅I waited for my friend in the hotel lobby.
💡The INTEREST GROUP sense refers to a group of people, not a physical room. The ENTRANCE HALL sense (noun 2) is used for a physical space.

2. a spacious area just beyond the main entrance of a hotel, office building, theat

2.名詞B1
釋義

a spacious area just beyond the main entrance of a hotel, office building, theatre, or similar large structure, where people wait, meet, or walk through.

例句

Guests gathered in the hotel lobby while the reception staff checked them into their rooms.

in the + [building] + lobby — common location phrase

The office lobby has a security desk where visitors sign in before going upstairs.

同義詞
  • foyer

    common for theatres and concert halls; more formal than 'lobby'

  • entrance hall

    a general term for the area just inside a building's main door

  • reception area

    specifically the area with a desk where visitors are greeted

文法句型

[building type] + lobby

in the + [building] + lobby

the + [building] + lobby

用法筆記

Typically combined with the name of the building type, as in 'hotel lobby', 'office lobby', or 'theatre lobby'. In British English, 'foyer' is more common for theatres; 'lobby' is more general.

常見錯誤

❌I left my keys in the corridor of the hotel.' (when you mean the entrance area)
✅I left my keys in the hotel lobby.
💡A corridor is a narrow passage between rooms, while a lobby is the large open area near the main entrance.

3. a room or corridor inside the UK Parliament building where members of the public

3.名詞B2
釋義

a room or corridor inside the UK Parliament building where members of the public can meet their MP, or where MPs walk through to record their vote — one passage is called the 'aye lobby' for yes votes, the other is the 'no lobby' for no votes.

例句

Voters waited in the lobby of the House of Commons to speak with their local MP about hospital closures.

The MP walked through the 'aye' lobby — the 'yes' voting corridor — for the education bill.

division lobby naming — 'aye' means yes, so the 'aye lobby' is for supporters

同義詞
  • division lobby

    specifically the voting passageway, not the main meeting hall

  • central lobby

    the main hall in the Houses of Parliament where MPs meet the public

文法句型

the lobby of + [Parliament building]

division lobby

[aye/no] lobby

in the lobby

用法筆記

Distinguish from the ENTRANCE HALL sense (noun 2) — this sense refers specifically to rooms and passageways in the UK Parliament. The voting lobby is often called a 'division lobby', and MPs vote by walking through either the 'aye' lobby or the 'no' lobby.

lobby — verb