1 home
Pronounced:
/ˈhoʊm/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural homesMeaning:
1 : the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives [count] ▪ Right now his home is a small apartment. ▪ People are concerned about protecting their homes. ▪ (chiefly US) The neighborhood is filled with expensive new homes. [=houses] ▪ They've started on a major home-improvement project. [=a project to make their house better, bigger, more modern, etc.] ▪ They have a second/vacation home on the lake. [noncount] ▪ There's no place like home. ▪ Let's stay at home tonight. [=let's not go out tonight] ▪ I must have left my notes at home. ▪ We're a long way from home. [=we are not close to our house] ▪ I will be away from home [=I will not be at my house] for two weeks. ▪ He has no place to call home. [=he does not have a place to live] ▪ He works at/from home. [=he does his work in his house and not in an office building] —see also at home (below), mobile home, motor home
2 [count] : a family living together in one building, house, etc. ▪ She made a good home for her husband and children. ▪ She came from a troubled home. [=a family with many problems] ▪ He comes from a broken home. [=a family in which the parents have divorced] ▪ She lived at home [=she lived with her parents or family] until she got married. ▪ He left home [=left his parent's house and lived in his own house] after graduating from high school.
3 a : a place where something normally or naturally lives or is located [count] ▪ Australia is the home [=habitat] of the kangaroo. [noncount] ▪ The islands are home to many species of birds. b [count] : the place where something began or was created —usually + of ▪ The restaurant advertises itself as the home of the “Big Burger.” c [count] : a place where something is placed, stored, etc. ▪ Can you find homes for these files in your office?
4 : the place where someone lives or originally comes from : the place to which you feel most strongly attached [noncount] ▪ New York will always be home to me. ▪ They made their home [=they settled] on the banks of the Mississippi. ▪ People back home [=in his hometown; in the place he is from] would never believe how much he has changed. [count] ▪ He has fond memories of his boyhood home. [=the place where he lived as a boy]
5 [count] : the place where an organization, a company, etc., is located and operates ▪ This building will be the orchestra's new home. ▪ The big television networks have their homes in the same city.
6 [count] : a place where people who are unable to care for themselves live and are cared for ▪ an orphan's home ▪ an old people's home ▪ She doesn't want to put her mother in a home. —see also nursing home, rest home
7 [noncount] : a place that you try to reach in some games (such as baseball) ▪ He was tagged out at home. —see also home plate
2 [count] : a family living together in one building, house, etc. ▪ She made a good home for her husband and children. ▪ She came from a troubled home. [=a family with many problems] ▪ He comes from a broken home. [=a family in which the parents have divorced] ▪ She lived at home [=she lived with her parents or family] until she got married. ▪ He left home [=left his parent's house and lived in his own house] after graduating from high school.
3 a : a place where something normally or naturally lives or is located [count] ▪ Australia is the home [=habitat] of the kangaroo. [noncount] ▪ The islands are home to many species of birds. b [count] : the place where something began or was created —usually + of ▪ The restaurant advertises itself as the home of the “Big Burger.” c [count] : a place where something is placed, stored, etc. ▪ Can you find homes for these files in your office?
4 : the place where someone lives or originally comes from : the place to which you feel most strongly attached [noncount] ▪ New York will always be home to me. ▪ They made their home [=they settled] on the banks of the Mississippi. ▪ People back home [=in his hometown; in the place he is from] would never believe how much he has changed. [count] ▪ He has fond memories of his boyhood home. [=the place where he lived as a boy]
5 [count] : the place where an organization, a company, etc., is located and operates ▪ This building will be the orchestra's new home. ▪ The big television networks have their homes in the same city.
6 [count] : a place where people who are unable to care for themselves live and are cared for ▪ an orphan's home ▪ an old people's home ▪ She doesn't want to put her mother in a home. —see also nursing home, rest home
7 [noncount] : a place that you try to reach in some games (such as baseball) ▪ He was tagged out at home. —see also home plate
at home
1 : in your own country and not a foreign country ▪ We face serious threats both at home and abroad.
2 sports : in a team's own stadium, park, etc. : in the place where a team is based ▪ The team's next six games are at home. [=in its own stadium] ▪ The team has done much better at home [=in its home games] than on the road. —see also 1home 1 (above)
3 : relaxed and comfortable ▪ She feels at home on the stage. ▪ They made me feel (right) at home my first day at the new job. ▪ Come on in and make yourself at home. [=do what you need to do to feel relaxed and comfortable] ▪ The professor is equally at home in politics and history. [=knows a lot about both politics and history] ▪ I've never really felt/been completely at home with [=comfortable and confident about using] all these new-fangled machines.
2 sports : in a team's own stadium, park, etc. : in the place where a team is based ▪ The team's next six games are at home. [=in its own stadium] ▪ The team has done much better at home [=in its home games] than on the road. —see also 1home 1 (above)
3 : relaxed and comfortable ▪ She feels at home on the stage. ▪ They made me feel (right) at home my first day at the new job. ▪ Come on in and make yourself at home. [=do what you need to do to feel relaxed and comfortable] ▪ The professor is equally at home in politics and history. [=knows a lot about both politics and history] ▪ I've never really felt/been completely at home with [=comfortable and confident about using] all these new-fangled machines.
charity begins at home —see charity
home away from home (US) or Brit home from home
: a place that is as pleasant and comfortable as your own home ▪ Whenever he came to the city, his brother's place was like a home away from home.
home sweet home
◊You say home sweet home to show that you are happy when you return to your home after being away from it.
—home·like /ˈhoʊmˌlaɪk/ adjective [more home*like; most home*like] chiefly US ▪ an inn with a homelike atmosphere
/ˈhoʊmˌlaɪk/ adjective [more home*like; most home*like] chiefly US ▪ an inn with a homelike atmosphere