Meaning & use
full house
Last updated
Meanings
phrasecountable
A poker hand with three cards of one rank and two of another.
Grammar: Countable: a full house, two full houses. Often used in card games.
Patterns
- have a full house
- get a full house
- a full house in poker
He won the hand with a full house: three kings and two aces.
She was dealt a full house and raised the bet.
In poker, a full house beats a flush.
phrasecountable
A situation where every seat in a theater, stadium, or other venue is filled.
Grammar: Countable: a full house, full houses. Often used in entertainment and sports.
Patterns
- play to a full house
- a full house at the theater
- expect a full house
The band played to a full house at the arena.
The theater had a full house for the opening night.
Despite the rain, the stadium was a full house.
Word forms
| plural | full houses |
|---|
Common combinations
- a full house
- The concert was a full house, with no empty seats.
- play to a full house
- The comedian played to a full house every night.
- get a full house
- He got a full house and won the game.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sellout
- Refers to an event for which all tickets are sold, but does not necessarily mean every seat is occupied.
- packed house
- Informal term for a very crowded venue, similar to 'full house'.
Opposites
Commonly confused: full house or full house (TV show)?
full house vs full house (TV show)
A popular American sitcom, but the phrase itself has the meanings above.
Practice
The magician performed to a ______ audience last night.
Choose one answer.
'Full house' is the fixed phrase for a completely filled venue. The other options are not used in this idiomatic way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “full house”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.