Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A movable structure used to close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates.
  • noun A similar part on a piece of furniture or a vehicle.
  • noun A doorway.
  • noun The room or building to which a door belongs.
  • noun A means of approach or access.
  • transitive verb Slang To strike (a passing bicyclist, for example) by suddenly opening a vehicular door.
  • transitive verb To serve as a doorman or doorwoman of (a nightclub, for example).
  • idiom (at (someone's) door) As a charge holding someone responsible.
  • idiom (close/shut) To refuse to allow for the possibility of.
  • idiom (leave the door open) To allow for the possibility of.
  • idiom (show (someone) the door) To eject (someone) from the premises.
  • idiom (show (someone) the door) To terminate the employment of; fire.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A movable barrier of wood, metal, stone, or other material, consisting sometimes of one piece, but generally of several pieces framed together, commonly placed on hinges, for closing a passage into a building, room, or other inclosure.
  • noun An opening for passage into or out of a building or any apartment of it, or any inclosure; a doorway.
  • noun Hence—3. An exterior or public entrance-way, or the house or apartment to which it leads.
  • noun Avenue; passage; means of approach or access, or of exit: commonly in figurative uses: as, the door of reconciliation; a door of escape.
  • noun Near to; bordering on; very nearly.
  • noun Hence, figuratively, quite gone; no more to be found; lost; irrelevant.
  • noun Figuratively, to ruin one.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An opening in the wall of a house or of an apartment, by which to go in and out; an entrance way.
  • noun The frame or barrier of boards, or other material, usually turning on hinges, by which an entrance way into a house or apartment is closed and opened.
  • noun Passage; means of approach or access.
  • noun An entrance way, but taken in the sense of the house or apartment to which it leads.
  • noun etc. (Arch.) See under Blank, Blind, etc.
  • noun within the house.
  • noun near to; bordering on.
  • noun out of the house; in open air; abroad; away; lost.
  • noun to charge one with a fault; to blame for.
  • noun to be imputable or chargeable to.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A portal of entry into a building or room, consisting of a rigid plane movable on a hinge. Doors are frequently made of wood or metal. May have a handle to help open and close, a latch to hold the door closed, and a lock that ensures the door cannot be opened without the key.
  • noun Any flap, etc. that opens like a door.
  • noun A non-physical entry into the next world, a particular feeling, a company, etc.
  • noun computing, dated A software mechanism by which a user can interact with a program running remotely on a bulletin board system.
  • verb transitive, cycling To cause a collision by opening the door of a vehicle in front of an oncoming cyclist or pedestrian.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
  • noun a structure where people live or work (usually ordered along a street or road)
  • noun a room that is entered via a door
  • noun anything providing a means of access (or escape)
  • noun the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English dor, from Old English duru, dor; see dhwer- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English dore, dor, from Old English duru ("door"), dor ("gate"), from Proto-Germanic *durz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰwer-, *dʰwor- (“doorway, door, gate”). Cognates include West Frisian doar, Dutch deur, German Tür ("door"), Tor ("gate"), Danish dør, Icelandic dyr, Latin foris, Modern Greek θύρα (thýra), Albanian derë pl. dyer, Kurdish derge (der), derî, Persian در (dar), Russian дверь (dver’), Hindustani द्वार (dvār) / دوار (dvār), Armenian դուռ (duṙ), Irish doras, Lithuanian durys.

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Examples

  • Looks to me like the door opening leading to the garage should be raised and fitted with an 8′ model door+/- to match the kitchen.

    Cafe Americano video | The Blog of Michael R. Eades, M.D. 2007

  • (_He opens the door, starts to go through it, then stops, turns and looks at the Woman, is drawn slowly backward by his gaze and comes in closing the door_) No! WOMAN.

    Why the Chimes Rang: A Play in One Act Elizabeth Apthorp McFadden

  • KATHLEEN [_Opening door of kitchen toward the end of FRAU QUIXANO'S speech, but turning back, with her hand visible on the door_]

    The Melting-Pot Israel Zangwill 1895

  • Still he did not return, but supposing him not far off, and wanting to get to bed herself, tired as she was, she left the door unbarred and went to the stairs, after writing on the back of the door with chalk: _Mind and do the door_ (because he was a forgetful man).

    Life's Little Ironies Thomas Hardy 1884

  • At Easypet we understand and therefore offer a comfortable door to door* pet transportation service ensuring that each pet receives the individual attention it deserves.

    thinkSPAIN - The leading English Spanish website 2009

  • STANDISH _below door down_ L. TRENT, MRS. CROSBY, MISS EASTWOOD C. _above door_ L. WIL.IAM _up_ R.C. _All watch_ MASON.

    The Thirteenth Chair Bayard Veiller 1906

  • By way, too, of further proof that my imagination had awakened, the significance of that knocking at the door set something vibrating within me that most surely had never vibrated before, so that I suddenly realized with what atmosphere of mystical suggestion is the mere act of knocking surrounded -- _knocking at a door_ -- both for him who knocks, wondering what shall be revealed on opening, and for him who stands within, waiting for the summons of the knocker.

    Masterpieces of Mystery In Four Volumes Mystic-Humorous Stories Joseph Lewis French 1897

  • "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; _if any man hear my voice, and open the door_, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me.

    Sermons on Various Important Subjects Andrew Lee

  • He then crosses up to_ L. _of the cupboard door at back centre and leans on his elbow against the wall_.) (_Enter_ DELIA _from the door_ R.)

    Belinda 1919

  • She leaves the outer door open after her, and through it is seen a_ PORTER _who is carrying a Christmas Tree and a basket, which he gives to the_ MAID _who has opened the door_.) _Nora_.

    A Doll's House Henrik Ibsen 1867

Comments

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  • You are the door in the rock that finally swings free when moonlight shines on it. You are the door at the top of the stairs that only appears in dreams. You are the door that sets the prisoner free. You are the carved low door into the Chapel of the Grail. You are the door at the edge of the world. You are the door that opens onto a sea of stars.

    —Jeanette Winterson, Lighthousekeeping

    Sometimes I have doubts about Winterson. Sometimes I have none.

    February 17, 2009