take the floor Definition

floor
noun

1. The lower interior surface of a room or vehicle.

Thesaurus: floorboards, deck, flagstones, tiles, planking, carpet, rug, linoleum.
2. All the rooms on the same level in a building; the storey of a building.

Example: ground floor
Example: first floor
Thesaurus: story, level, deck, tier.
3. The lowest surface of some open areas, eg the ground in a forest or cave, the bed of the sea, etc.

Example: the sea floor
4. The debating area in a parliamentary assembly or the open area of a stock exchange as opposed to the viewing gallery.
5. The right to speak in a parliamentary assembly.

Example: have the floor
Example: be given the floor

verb floored, flooring

1. To construct the floor of (a room, etc).
2. colloq
To knock someone down.
3. colloq
To baffle someone completely.
Thesaurus: stun, dumbfound, baffle, bewilder, perplex, puzzle, stump, confound, disconcert, nonplus, knock for a loop (US slang, throw for a loop (US slang).

Derivative: floored
adj

Said of lofts, attics, etc: having flat floor-covering rather than exposed beams, etc.
Example: a floored loft

Idiom: cross the floor

Said of a member of parliament, etc: to change one's allegiance from one party to another.

Idiom: hold the floor

To be the person who is talking while others listen, sometimes a person who is dominating a debate by a lot of speaking.

Idiom: take the floor

To rise to speak in a debate, etc.

To start dancing at a dance, etc.
Example: The orchestra played and the bridal couple took the floor

To start a performance on stage.
Example: The comedian took the floor

Idiom: wipe the floor with someone

slang
To defeat them ignominiously; to humiliate them.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon flor.