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Meaning & use

doors

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/dɔːz/
US/dɔːrz/

“doors” is a form of “door”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounplural

    The flat movable parts, usually with handles, that open and close the entrances to rooms, buildings or vehicles.

    Grammar: Plural of door; use a singular verb only in set phrases like 'doors open at seven'.

    Patterns

    • open the doors
    • close the doors
    • the doors of something

    Please close the doors quietly when you leave.

    The doors of the old church were made of heavy oak.

    All the car doors were frozen shut this morning.

  2. nounplural

    The times when a public place or event opens and closes to visitors.

    Grammar: Fixed in phrases such as 'doors open at seven'; the verb is usually plural.

    Patterns

    • doors open at …
    • doors close at …

    Doors open at 6:30, so arrive early to get a good seat.

    The museum's doors close at five on Sundays.

Word forms

singulardoor

Common combinations

open the doors
They open the doors to the concert hall an hour before the show.
closed doors
The meeting was held behind closed doors.
the doors of something
The doors of the train slid open with a hiss.
lock the doors
Remember to lock the doors before you go to bed.
doors open at
Doors open at seven, and the band starts at eight.

Synonyms and how they differ

doorway
The opening or frame you pass through; doors are the movable panels themselves.
gate
An entrance in a fence or wall outdoors, usually made of metal or wood, not a room door.
entrance
The way into a place; it can mean the whole opening or the act of entering, not just the panel.

Word family

door noun
One such movable panel; the singular form.
doorway noun
The space or frame where a door is fitted.
doorman noun
A person employed to open the door and welcome visitors at a building.
indoor adjective
Located or happening inside a building.
outdoor adjective
Located or happening outside, not in a building.

Commonly confused: doors or does? doors or drawers?

doors vs does

Does is the third person singular of do and sounds like /dʌz/; doors has a long /ɔːr/ sound and is a plural noun.

doors vs drawers

Drawers are sliding storage boxes in furniture, and the word has the same vowel sound but a different meaning and spelling.

Practice

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