Chapter Hotbed to House of H by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

10. An audience; an assembly of hearers, as at a lecture, a theater, etc.; as, a thin or a full house.

11. The body, as the habitation of the soul.

This mortal house I'll ruin,
Do Cæsar what he can.

Shak.

12. [With an adj., as narrow, dark, etc.] The grave. "The narrow house." Bryant.

House is much used adjectively and as the first element of compounds. The sense is usually obvious; as, house cricket, housemaid, house painter, housework.

House ant (Zoöl.), a very small, yellowish brown ant which often infests houses, and sometimes becomes a great pest. — House of bishops (Prot. Epis. Ch.), one of the two bodies composing a general convertion, the other being House of Clerical and Lay Deputies. — House boat, a covered boat used as a dwelling. — House of call, a place, usually a public house, where journeymen connected with a particular trade assemble when out of work, ready for the call of employers. [Eng.] Simonds. — House car (Railroad), a freight car with inclosing sides and a roof; a box car. — House of correction. See Correction. — House cricket (Zoöl.), a European cricket which frequently lives in houses, between the bricks of chimneys and fireplaces. It is noted for the loud chirping or stridulation of the males. — House dog, a dog kept in or about a dwelling house. — House finch (Zoöl.), the burion. — House flag, a flag denoting the commercial house to which a merchant vessel belongs. — House fly (Zoöl.), a common fly which infests houses both in Europe and America. Its larva is a maggot which lives in decaying substances or excrement, about sink drains, etc. — House of God, a temple or church. — House of ill fame. See Ill fame under Ill, a. — House martin (Zoöl.), a common European swallow It has feathered feet, and builds its nests of mud against the walls of buildings. Called also house swallow, and window martin. — House mouse (Zoöl.), the common mouse (Mus musculus). — House physician, the resident medical adviser of a hospital or other public institution. — House snake (Zoöl.), the milk snake. — House sparrow (Zoöl.), the common European sparrow It has recently been introduced into America, where it has become very abundant, esp. in cities. Called also thatch sparrow. — House spider (Zoöl.), any spider which habitually lives in houses. Among the most common species are Theridium tepidariorum and Tegenaria domestica. — House surgeon, the resident surgeon of a hospital. — House wren (Zoöl.), the common wren of the Eastern United States (Troglodytes aëdon). It is common about houses and in gardens, and is noted for its vivacity, and loud musical notes. See Wren. — Religious house, a monastery or convent. — The White House, the official residence of the President of the United States; — hence, colloquially, the office of President. — To bring down the house. See under Bring. — To keep house, to maintain an independent domestic establishment. — To keep open house, to entertain friends at all times.

Syn. — Dwelling; residence; abode. See Tenement.

House
(House) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Housed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Housing.] [AS. hsian.]

1. To take or put into a house; to shelter under a roof; to cover from the inclemencies of the weather; to protect by covering; as, to house one's family in a comfortable home; to house farming utensils; to house cattle.

At length have housed me in a humble shed.

Young.

House your choicest carnations, or rather set them under a penthouse.

Evelyn.

2. To drive to a shelter. Shak.

3. To admit to residence; to harbor.

Palladius wished him to house all the Helots.

Sir P. Sidney.