English dictionary of Construction

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A ↑
adhesive
a substance that unites or bonds surfaces together

agenda ; schedule
a temporally organized plan for matters to be attended to

agreement ; understanding
the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises; "they had an agreement that they would not interfere in each other's business"; "there was an understanding between management and the workers"

antifungal ; fungicide
any agent that destroys or prevents the growth of fungi

aperture
a natural opening in something

apron
the part of a modern theater stage between the curtain and the orchestra (i.e., in front of the curtain)

arcade
a covered passageway with shops and stalls on either side

arcade ; colonnade
a structure composed of a series of arches supported by columns

arch
(architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it

arch
a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening

architecture
the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their esthetic effect

architecture
the discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction and ornamentation of fine buildings; "architecture and eloquence are mixed arts whose end is sometimes beauty and sometimes use"

awning ; sunshade ; sunblind
a canopy made of canvas to shelter people or things from rain or sun


B ↑
bannister ; banister ; balustrade ; handrail
a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling

bar
a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon; "there were bars in the windows to prevent escape"

barrier
a structure or object that impedes free movement

bathroom ; bath
a room (as in a residence) containing a bathtub or shower and usually a washbasin and toilet

beam
long thick piece of wood or metal or concrete, etc., used in construction

bend
a circular segment of a curve; "a bend in the road"; "a crook in the path"

blend
an occurrence of thorough mixing

blight
any plant disease resulting in withering without rotting

board
a flat piece of material designed for a special purpose; "he nailed boards across the windows"

board ; plank
a stout length of sawn timber; made in a wide variety of sizes and used for many purposes

borer
a drill for penetrating rock

bow ; arc
something curved in shape

brick
rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material

bricklayer
a craftsman skilled in building with bricks

brickyard ; brickfield
a place where bricks are made and sold

bridge ; bridgework
a denture anchored to teeth on either side of missing teeth

bridge ; span
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

bubble
a hollow globule of gas (e.g., air or carbon dioxide)

bucket ; pail
a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top

building ; edifice
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place; "there was a three-story building on the corner"; "it was an imposing edifice"

bulldozer ; dozer
large powerful tractor; a large blade in front flattens areas of ground

buttress ; buttressing
a support usually of stone or brick; supports the wall of a building


C ↑
cable
a conductor for transmitting electrical or optical signals or electric power

care ; maintenance ; upkeep
activity involved in maintaining something in good working order; "he wrote the manual on car care"

carpet ; rug
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)

carrier ; bearer
someone whose employment involves carrying something; "the bonds were transmitted by carrier"

ceiling
the overhead upper surface of a covered space; "he hated painting the ceiling"

cement
a building material that is a powder made of a mixture of calcined limestone and clay; used with water and sand or gravel to make concrete and mortar

chalice ; goblet
a bowl-shaped drinking vessel; especially the Eucharistic cup

chandelier
branched lighting fixture; often ornate; hangs from the ceiling

chimney
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building

clod ; lump
a compact mass; "a ball of mud caught him on the shoulder"

coating ; coat
a thin layer covering something; "a second coat of paint"

cobblestone
rectangular paving stone with curved top; once used to make roads

color ; colour
any material used for its color; "she used a different color for the trim"

color ; colour ; colouring
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect; "a white color is made up of many different wavelengths of light"

column
a page or text that is vertically divided; "the newspaper devoted several columns to the subject"; "the bookkeeper used pages that were divided into columns"

column ; pillar
(architecture) a tall vertical cylindrical structure standing upright and used to support a structure

column ; pillar
a vertical cylindrical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (such as a monument)

column ; pillar
anything that approximates the shape of a column or tower; "the test tube held a column of white powder"; "a tower of dust rose above the horizon"; "a thin pillar of smoke betrayed their campsite"

compressor
a mechanical device that compresses gasses

concentration
the strength of a solution; number of molecules of a substance in a given volume

concrete
a strong hard building material composed of sand and gravel and cement and water

conductance
a material's capacity to conduct electricity; measured as the reciprocal of electrical resistance

conduction ; conductivity
the transmission of heat or electricity or sound

conductor
a device designed to transmit electricity, heat, etc.

container
any object that can be used to hold things (especially a large metal boxlike object of standardized dimensions that can be loaded from one form of transport to another)

contract
a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law

covenant
a signed written agreement between two or more parties (nations) to perform some action

crack ; cleft ; crevice ; fissure
a long narrow opening

crane
lifts and moves heavy objects; lifting tackle is suspended from a pivoted boom that rotates around a vertical axis

credit
money available for a client to borrow

cuboid
a rectangular parallelepiped


D ↑
damp ; dampness ; moistness
a slight wetness

deadline
the point in time at which something must be completed

demolition
the act of demolishing

density ; denseness
the amount per unit size

descent ; declivity ; fall ; decline
a downward slope or bend

design
a preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something; "the design of a building"

destruction ; demolition
an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something

device
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water"

door
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle; "he knocked on the door"; "he slammed the door as he left"

dormer ; dormer window
a gabled extension built out from a sloping roof to accommodate a vertical window

dowel
a fastener that is inserted into holes in two adjacent pieces and holds them together

drain ; drainage
emptying something accomplished by allowing liquid to run out of it

drill
a tool with a sharp point and cutting edges for making holes in hard materials (usually rotating rapidly or by repeated blows)

duct
an enclosed conduit for a fluid

dust
fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air; "the furniture was covered with dust"

dwelling ; domicile ; abode ; habitation
housing that someone is living in; "he built a modest dwelling near the pond"; "they raise money to provide homes for the homeless"

dye ; dyestuff
a usually soluble substance for staining or coloring e.g. fabrics or hair


E ↑
electrician
a person who installs or repairs electrical or telephone lines

elevator ; lift
lifting device consisting of a platform or cage that is raised and lowered mechanically in a vertical shaft in order to move people from one floor to another in a building

enamel
a colored glassy compound (opaque or partially opaque) that is fused to the surface of metal or glass or pottery for decoration or protection

enclosure
a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose

excavator
a machine for excavating

excerpt ; extract
a passage selected from a larger work; "he presented excerpts from William James' philosophical writings"

explosion ; burst
the act of exploding or bursting; "the explosion of the firecrackers awoke the children"; "the burst of an atom bomb creates enormous radiation aloft"


F ↑
facade ; frontage
the face or front of a building

fence ; fencing
a barrier that serves to enclose an area

fireplace ; hearth
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built; "the fireplace was so large you could walk inside it"; "he laid a fire in the hearth and lit it"; "the hearth was black with the charcoal of many fires"

fireproof
impervious to damage by fire

flat ; apartment
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house

floor ; flooring
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure); "they needed rugs to cover the bare floors"; "we spread our sleeping bags on the dry floor of the tent"

floor ; level ; storey ; story
a structure consisting of a room or set of rooms at a single position along a vertical scale; "what level is the office on?"

fortress ; fort
a fortified defensive structure

foundation
the basis on which something is grounded; "there is little foundation for his objections"

front ; forepart
the side that is forward or prominent

funnel
(nautical) smokestack consisting of a shaft for ventilation or the passage of smoke (especially the smokestack of a ship)


G ↑
gargoyle
a spout that terminates in a grotesquely carved figure of a person or animal

gasket
seal consisting of a ring for packing pistons or sealing a pipe joint

gate
a movable barrier in a fence or wall

girder
a beam made usually of steel; a main support in a structure

glass
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

glazier
someone who cuts flat glass to size

glue ; gum ; mucilage
cement consisting of a sticky substance that is used as an adhesive

grade
the gradient of a slope or road or other surface; "the road had a steep grade"

gradient ; slope
the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the horizontal; "a five-degree gradient"

grate ; grating
a frame of iron bars to hold a fire

grid ; gridiron
a cooking utensil of parallel metal bars; used to grill fish or meat

grill
a framework of metal bars used as a partition or a grate; "he cooked hamburgers on the grill"

ground ; land ; soil
material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use); "the land had never been plowed"; "good agricultural soil"

gutter ; trough
a channel along the eaves or on the roof; collects and carries away rainwater

gypsum
a common white or colorless mineral (hydrated calcium sulphate) used to make cements and plasters (especially plaster of Paris)


H ↑
hall ; anteroom ; foyer ; lobby ; vestibule
a large entrance or reception room or area

hinge ; flexible joint
a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other

hole
an opening into or through something

hose ; hosepipe
a flexible pipe for conveying a liquid or gas

house
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families; "he has a house on Cape Cod"; "she felt she had to get out of the house"

housing ; lodging
structures collectively in which people are housed

hue ; chromaticity
the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength

humidity ; humidness
wetness in the atmosphere

hunk ; lump
a large piece of something without definite shape; "a hunk of bread"; "a lump of coal"


I ↑
illuminance ; illumination
the luminous flux incident on a unit area

implement
instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end

inside ; interior
the region that is inside of something

installation ; installing ; installment
the act of installing something (as equipment); "the telephone installation took only a few minutes"

instrument
a device that requires skill for proper use

insulation
the state of being isolated or detached; "the insulation of England was preserved by the English Channel"

investing ; investment
the act of investing; laying out money or capital in an enterprise with the expectation of profit

investment ; investment funds
money that is invested with an expectation of profit


J ↑
joint
junction by which parts or objects are joined together

joist
beam used to support floors or roofs


K ↑
kernel ; substance ; core ; essence ; gist ; heart ; nub
the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; "the gist of the prosecutor's argument"; "the heart and soul of the Republican Party"; "the nub of the story"


L ↑
lacquer
a hard glossy coating

ladder
steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down

land
the land on which real estate is located; "he built the house on land leased from the city"

lantern
light in a transparent protective case

latch
catch for fastening a door or gate; a bar that can be lowered or slid into a groove

lath
a narrow thin strip of wood used as backing for plaster or to make latticework

layout
a plan or design of something that is laid out

lean
the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical; "the tower had a pronounced tilt"; "the ship developed a list to starboard"; "he walked with a heavy inclination to the right"

ledge ; shelf
a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water

level ; spirit level
indicator that establishes the horizontal when a bubble is centered in a tube of liquid

lighting
the craft of providing artificial light; "an interior decorator must understand lighting"

lighting
apparatus for supplying artificial light effects for the stage or a film

lime
a caustic substance produced by heating limestone

linoleum ; lino
a floor covering

living room
a room in a private house or establishment where people can sit and talk and relax

loan
the temporary provision of money (usually at interest)

loft ; attic ; garret
floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

lumber ; timber
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material


M ↑
mason ; stonemason
a craftsman who works with stone or brick

mat
a thick flat pad used as a floor covering

material ; stuff
the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; "coal is a hard black material"; "wheat is the stuff they use to make bread"

medley
a musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sources

melange ; mishmash
a motley assortment of things

mildew
a fungus that produces a superficial (usually white) growth on organic matter

mix ; premix
a commercially prepared mixture of dry ingredients

mixture
(chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding)

moisture ; wet
wetness caused by water; "drops of wet gleamed on the window"

mold ; mould
container into which liquid is poured to create a given shape when it hardens

mold ; mould
a fungus that produces a superficial growth on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter

mortar
used as a bond in masonry or for covering a wall

mortgage
a conditional conveyance of property as security for the repayment of a loan

mosaic
art consisting of a design made of small pieces of colored stone or glass


N ↑
noncombustible ; incombustible
not capable of igniting and burning


O ↑
office ; business office
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed; "he rented an office in the new building"

orifice ; opening
an aperture or hole that opens into a bodily cavity; "the orifice into the aorta from the lower left chamber of the heart"


P ↑
paint ; pigment
a substance used as a coating to protect or decorate a surface (especially a mixture of pigment suspended in a liquid); dries to form a hard coating; "artists use `paint' and `pigment' interchangeably"

painter
an artist who paints

panel
electrical device consisting of a flat insulated surface that contains switches and dials and meters for controlling other electrical devices; "he checked the instrument panel"; "suddenly the board lit up like a Christmas tree"

paste ; library paste
an adhesive made from water and flour or starch; used on paper and paperboard

pavement ; paving
the paved surface of a thoroughfare

pedestal ; plinth
an architectural support or base (as for a column or statue)

pipe ; piping
a long tube made of metal or plastic that is used to carry water or oil or gas etc.

pipeline ; line
a pipe used to transport liquids or gases; "a pipeline runs from the wells to the seaport"

plan
a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished; "they drew up a six-step plan"; "they discussed plans for a new bond issue"

plaster of Paris ; plaster
any of several gypsum cements; a white powder (a form of calcium sulphate) that forms a paste when mixed with water and hardens into a solid; used in making molds and sculptures and casts for broken limbs

plate
a metal sheathing of uniform thickness (such as the shield attached to an artillery piece to protect the gunners)

plate
a sheet of metal or wood or glass or plastic

plowshare ; ploughshare
a sharp steel wedge that cuts loose the top layer of soil

plywood ; plyboard
a laminate made of thin layers of wood

porch
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance

portal
a grand and imposing entrance (often extended metaphorically); "the portals of the cathedral"; "the portals of heaven"; "the portals of success"

porter
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies

post ; stake
a pole or stake set up to mark something (as the start or end of a race track); "a pair of posts marked the goal"; "the corner of the lot was indicated by a stake"

powder
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized

proclivity ; propensity ; leaning
a natural inclination; "he has a proclivity for exaggeration"

prop
a support placed beneath or against something to keep it from shaking or falling

pump
a mechanical device that moves fluid or gas by pressure or suction

purveyor
someone who supplies provisions (especially food)

putty
a dough-like mixture of whiting and boiled linseed oil; used especially to patch woodwork or secure panes of glass


R ↑
rafter
one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof

railing ; rail
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports

rake ; slant
degree of deviation from a horizontal plane; "the roof had a steep pitch"

ramp ; incline
an inclined surface connecting two levels

rebuilding
building again

receptacle
a container that is used to put or keep things in

reconstruction
the activity of constructing something again

rift
a narrow fissure in rock

rip ; rent ; tear
an opening made forcibly as by pulling apart; "there was a rip in his pants"; "she had snags in her stockings"

rivet
heavy pin having a head at one end and the other end being hammered flat after being passed through holes in the pieces that are fastened together

rotunda
a building having a circular plan and a dome


S ↑
sack
a bag made of paper or plastic for holding customer's purchases

scaffolding ; staging
a system of scaffolds

sewer ; sewerage ; cloaca
a waste pipe that carries away sewage or surface water

sheet ; flat solid
a flat artifact that is thin relative to its length and width

shower
a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you; "they installed a shower in the bathroom"

shutter
a hinged blind for a window

sidewalk ; pavement
walk consisting of a paved area for pedestrians; usually beside a street or roadway

sieve ; screen
a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles

silicone ; silicone polymer
any of a large class of siloxanes that are unusually stable over a wide range of temperatures; used in lubricants and adhesives and coatings and synthetic rubber and electrical insulation

siphon ; syphon
a tube running from the liquid in a vessel to a lower level outside the vessel so that atmospheric pressure forces the liquid through the tube

skylight ; fanlight
a window in a roof to admit daylight

slab
block consisting of a thick piece of something

slat ; spline
a thin strip (wood or metal)

smokestack ; stack
a large tall chimney through which combustion gases and smoke can be evacuated

socket
a receptacle into which an electric device can be inserted

stairway ; staircase
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

statics
the branch of mechanics concerned with forces in equilibrium

steel
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

stirrup ; stirrup iron
support consisting of metal loops into which rider's feet go

stonecutter ; cutter
someone who cuts or carves stone

stopcock ; cock
faucet consisting of a rotating device for regulating flow of a liquid

structure ; construction
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons"

stucco
a plaster now made mostly from Portland cement and sand and lime; applied while soft to cover exterior walls or surfaces

subsoil ; undersoil
the layer of soil between the topsoil and bedrock

supervision ; supervising
management by overseeing the performance or operation of a person or group

supplier ; provider
someone whose business is to supply a particular service or commodity

support
any device that bears the weight of another thing; "there was no place to attach supports for a shelf"

surveillance
close observation of a person or group (usually by the police)

switch
control consisting of a mechanical or electrical or electronic device for making or breaking or changing the connections in a circuit


T ↑
table
a piece of furniture having a smooth flat top that is usually supported by one or more vertical legs; "it was a sturdy table"

term
a word or expression used for some particular thing; "he learned many medical terms"

thickness
the dimension through an object as opposed to its length or width

threshold ; limen
the smallest detectable sensation

tile
a flat thin rectangular slab (as of fired clay or rubber or linoleum) used to cover surfaces

toilet ; lavatory ; lav ; john ; bathroom
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

tool
an implement used in the practice of a vocation

treaty ; pact ; accord
a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

trend ; tendency
a general direction in which something tends to move; "the shoreward tendency of the current"; "the trend of the stock market"

trowel
a small hand tool with a handle and flat metal blade; used for scooping or spreading plaster or similar materials

truck ; motortruck
an automotive vehicle suitable for hauling

tube ; tubing
conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases

tunnel
a passageway through or under something, usually underground (especially one for trains or cars); "the tunnel reduced congestion at that intersection"


V ↑
valve
control consisting of a mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid

varnish
a coating that provides a hard, lustrous, transparent finish to a surface

veranda ; verandah
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)

vertical ; perpendicular
at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line; "a vertical camera angle"; "the monument consists of two vertical pillars supporting a horizontal slab"; "measure the perpendicular height"

vessel
an object used as a container (especially for liquids)


W ↑
walkway
a path set aside for walking; "after the blizzard he shoveled the front walk"

well
a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine

wood
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees