A house is a building where people live. Houses come in countless styles and sizes: some have one story, others have two or three. Some houses stand alone with yards around them, while others share walls with neighbors in a row. Inside, a house typically has rooms for sleeping, eating, and gathering together, plus a kitchen and bathroom.

The word also means the people living together in that building. When you say “my whole house is excited about our vacation,” you mean everyone in your family. A household refers to all the people sharing a home.

In another sense, house can mean to provide shelter or storage for something. A library houses thousands of books. A museum houses precious artifacts. Your garage might house your family's car and bicycles.

You'll also hear house in special phrases: a house of worship is a church, synagogue, or mosque. The House of Representatives is one part of the U.S. Congress. A full house in poker means you have three cards of one number and two of another, while a full house at a theater means every seat is taken. When you get something on the house at a restaurant, it's free, a gift from the establishment to you.