-
1[countable] a structure such as a house, school, or factory that has a roof and walls tall/old/historic buildings Topic CollocationsDecorating and Home Improvementhouses
- refurbish/renovate a building/a house
- convert a building/house/room into homes/offices/ apartments/condominiums/condos
- extend/enlarge a house/building/room/kitchen
- build an addition (on/to something)/a sunroom/a deck
- knock down/demolish a house/home/building/wall
- knock out/down the wall separating two rooms
- furnish/paint/repaint a home/house/apartment/room
- be decorated in bright colors/in a traditional style/with flowers/with paintings
- paint/plaster the walls/ceiling
- hang/put up/strip off/remove (the) wallpaper
- install/replace/remove the bathroom fixtures
- build/put up shelves
- lay wooden flooring/timber decking/floor tiles/a carpet/a patio floor
- put up/hang/take down a picture/painting/poster/curtain
- do carpentry/the plumbing/the wiring (yourself)
- make home improvements
- add/install central heating/underfloor heating/insulation
- install double-glazing/a smoke alarm
- insulate your house/your home/the walls/the pipes/the tanks/the attic
- fix/repair a roof/a leak/a pipe/the plumbing/a leaking faucet
- block/clog (up)/unblock/unclog a pipe/sink/drain
- make/drill/fill a hole
- hammer (in)/pull out/remove a nail
- tighten/loosen/remove a screw
- saw/cut/treat/stain/varnish/paint wood
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- 2[uncountable] the process and work of building the building of the school There's building work going on next door. the building trade building materials/costs/regulations Thesaurusbuilding
- property
- premises
- complex
- structure
- building a structure such as a house, school, or factory that has a roof and four walls
- property a building or buildings and the surrounding land; land and buildings:We have a buyer who would like to view the property. Property values have risen enormously. This word is often used when talking about buying/selling houses or other buildings and land.
- premises [pl.] (formal) the building or buildings and surrounding land that a business or person owns or uses:The police searched the premises.
- complex a group of buildings of a similar type together in one place:an apartment complex
- structure a thing that is made of several parts, especially a building:The pier is a wooden structure.
- (a/an) commercial/industrial/residential building/property/premises/complex
- an apartment building/complex
- a/the school building/premises
- to build a property/complex/structure
- to put up a building/property/structure
- to demolish/knock down a building/property/complex/structure
Check pronunciation: building