Meaning & use
doorpost
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Meaning
nouncountable
One of the two vertical pieces of wood or metal that form the sides of a door frame.
Grammar: Countable noun: you can say 'a doorpost' or 'the doorposts'.
Patterns
- a wooden doorpost
- the left/right doorpost
- lean against a doorpost
The doorpost was rotten, so the whole frame had to be replaced.
She painted the doorpost white to match the walls.
He stood in the doorway with one hand on the doorpost.
Word forms
| plural | doorposts |
|---|
Common combinations
- wooden doorpost
- The old wooden doorpost creaked whenever the door moved.
- doorpost and lintel
- In traditional architecture, the doorpost and lintel are often decorated.
- lean against a doorpost
- He leaned against the doorpost and waited for her to answer.
- paint the doorpost
- They decided to paint the doorpost a dark green.
- hang from a doorpost
- A small bell hung from the doorpost, ringing whenever someone entered.
Synonyms and how they differ
- doorjamb
- This is the more technical term for the same vertical side piece; 'doorpost' is more common in everyday speech.
- jamb
- A short form of 'doorjamb', used especially in carpentry and building contexts.
Word family
- doorframe noun
- The whole structure around a door, including the doorposts and lintel.
- doorway noun
- The opening itself, through which you pass.
Commonly confused: doorpost or doorstop?
doorpost vs doorstop
A 'doorstop' is an object that keeps a door open or stops it from hitting a wall; a 'doorpost' is part of the frame.
Practice
Complete the sentence: The hinge was screwed into the wooden ______.
Choose one answer.
A hinge is attached to the doorpost, the vertical side of the frame. A doorstop is a separate object, a doorway is the opening, and a doorknob is the handle.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “doorpost”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.