room

*some elbow room

Fig. room to move about in; extra space to move about in. (*Typically: allow ~; get ~; have ~; give someone ~; need ~.) This table is too crowded. We all need some elbow room.

See also: elbow, some

Could I use your powder room? and Can I use your powder room?; May I use your powder room?; Where is your powder room?

Euph. a polite way to ask to use the bathroom in someone's home. (Alludes to a woman powdering her nose. Sometimes used jocularly by men. See also powder one's nose.) Mary: Oh, Sally, could I use your powder room? Sally: Of course. It's just off the kitchen, on the left. Tom: Nice place you've got here. Uh, where is your powder room? Beth: At the top of the stairs.

See also: could, powder, use

Don't let it go any further, and Don't let it out of this room.

Don't tell this secret to anyone else. (Also literal.) This is a strict secret. Don't let it go any further. I'll tell you what you what to know, but don't let it go out of this room.

See also: any, further, let

leave the room 

1. to go out of the room. DI had to leave the room to get drinks for everyone.

2. Euph. to leave to go to the toilet. I have to leave the room. I'll be back in a minute.

See also: leave

make room (for someone or something)

to provide space for someone or something. Make room for Sam. He needs a place to sit. Can you make room for this package?

See also: make

not enough room to swing a cat

Rur. not very much space. Their living room was very small. There wasn't enough room to swing a cat. How can you work in a small room like this? There's not enough room to swing a cat.

See also: cat, enough, swing

On your bike! and Go to your room!

Sl. imperative. Get out of here!; Get on your bike and get out! What a bad joke! No puns allowed here! On your bike! That was a ridiculous remark. Go to your room!

room and board

food to eat and a place to live; the cost of food and lodging. That college charges too much for room and board. How much is your room and board?

See also: and, board

room together

[for two or more people] to share a room, as in a college dormitory. Sarah and I roomed together in college. We don't want to room together anymore.

See also: together

room with someone

to share a room with someone, as in college. I need someone to room with me next year. No one wants to room with Kelly.

send someone to the showers and send someone to the locker room

Fig. to order a player from the playing field, thus ending the player's participation for the day. The coach had sent four players to the showers before the end of the game. He was angry enough to send them all to the locker room.

See also: send, shower

smoke-filled room

a room where a small group of people make important decisions. (Usually used in reference to political parties.) The smoke-filled rooms are still producing the candidates for most offices, despite all the political reforms. The deal was cut in a smoke-filled room.

take up space and take up room

to fill or occupy space. (Note the variations in the examples.) The piano is taking up too much room in our living room. John, you're not being any help at all. You're just taking up space.

See also: space, take, up

the boys in the back room and the backroom boys

Fig. any private group of men who make decisions, usually political decisions. (See also .) The boys in the back room picked the last presidential candidate. The backroom boys have decided too many things in the past. Their day is over.

See also: back, boy

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not give something/somebody house room

to refuse to become involved with someone or something, because you do not like them or approve of them A respectable organization shouldn't be giving house room to a bunch of bigoted fanatics.

See also: give, house

not room to swing a cat  (informal)

if there is not room to swing a cat in a place, that place is very small There isn't room to swing a cat in the third room, it's so tiny. Get a sofa in the living room? You'll be lucky - there isn't room to swing a cat in there.

See also: cat, swing

elbow room 

1. space which allows you to move around There's no elbow room at all in this kitchen.

2. the freedom to do what you want to do The President should be given as much elbow room as he needs to solve these international problems.

See also: elbow

locker-room

locker-room jokes or remarks are the type of rude, sexual jokes and remarks that men are thought to enjoy when they are with other men

Usage notes: A locker room is a place where people change their clothes before and after playing sport.

(always before noun) There's the usual locker-room banter which I try to stay out of.

send somebody to the showers  (American)

to stop someone, especially someone on a sports team, from playing or working because they are behaving badly or their work is not good enough A fight broke out and both players were sent to the showers.

See also: send, shower

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on the cutting room floor

not included Some real ballplayers were used in the movie's baseball scenes, but they ended up on the cutting room floor. In the rush to finish this session, legislators left some very important bills on the cutting room floor.

See also: cutting, floor