hoover

hoover — noun

1. a machine that cleans floors and carpets by sucking up dust and dirt through a h

1.nounB1
Definition

a machine that cleans floors and carpets by sucking up dust and dirt through a hose or tube; originally a brand name (Hoover), now used in everyday British English as the general name for any such cleaning appliance.

Example

Jenna borrowed a hoover from her neighbour after the carpet got muddy.

genericized trademark: a hoover = any vacuum cleaner

The old hoover in the cupboard still worked well after fifteen years.

Common collocations
  • hoover bag
  • hoover attachment
  • hoover hose
Synonyms
  • vacuum cleaner

    the standard American English term; also used formally in British English

  • vacuum

    shortened form common in American English; also used informally in British English

Grammar Patterns

a hoover

the hoover

Usage Note

In British English, 'hoover' is used as a common noun for any vacuum cleaner, even those made by other brands. In American English, the generic term is 'vacuum cleaner' or simply 'vacuum'.

2. a city in central Alabama, United States, named after William Henry Hoover, the

2.noun
Definition

a city in central Alabama, United States, named after William Henry Hoover, the founder of the Hoover Company that made vacuum cleaners.

Example

The Okonkwo family moved to Hoover for the good schools and quiet streets.

Hoover was ranked among the safest cities in the state of Alabama.

proper noun: city name, no article

Usage Note

This is a place name and always appears capitalized as 'Hoover'. It refers specifically to the city in Shelby and Jefferson counties, Alabama.

3. Herbert Clark Hoover (1874–1964), the 31st president of the United States, who s

3.noun
Definition

Herbert Clark Hoover (1874–1964), the 31st president of the United States, who served from 1929 to 1933 during the early years of the Great Depression.

Example

Herbert Hoover was president when the stock market crashed in October 1929.

historical figure: full name + title

The Hoover Dam on the Colorado River was named after President Herbert Hoover.

Common collocations
  • Hoover Dam
  • Hoover administration

4. J(ohn) Edgar Hoover (1895–1972), an American government official who served as t

4.noun
Definition

J(ohn) Edgar Hoover (1895–1972), an American government official who served as the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for nearly 48 years, from 1924 to 1972.

Example

J. Edgar Hoover built the FBI into a powerful national investigative agency.

historical figure: abbreviated name + title

The FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., is named the J. Edgar Hoover Building.

Common collocations
  • J. Edgar Hoover Building
  • Hoover's FBI

hoover — verb

Word family

  • hoovering
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These three verbs all describe removing dirt, but they differ in method and regional usage. 'Hoover' is a British English verb that specifically means cleaning with a vacuum cleaner — it came from the brand name and is now a generic verb in the UK. 'Vacuum' is the standard American English equivalent ('I vacuumed the rug') and is also understood in British English, though less common in everyday speech. 'Sweep' involves using a broom and dustpan to remove loose dirt from hard floors — it does not involve a machine. 'Clean' is the broadest term and can describe any method: hoovering, sweeping, mopping, wiping, or scrubbing. For example: 'Ezra hoovered the living-room carpet, swept the kitchen floor, and then cleaned the whole house before the party.'

vacuum ↗sweep ↗clean ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • give the carpet a hoover
  • need a hoover
  • pass the hoover over

Prepositions

Etymology

English (proper noun)English (genericized noun)English (verb)

The word 'hoover' comes from the Hoover Company, founded by William Henry Hoover in 1908. The company produced the first commercially successful upright vacuum cleaner in the United States. By the mid-20th century, the brand name became so widespread in Britain that people began using 'hoover' as the everyday word for any vacuum cleaner, regardless of brand — a process called 'genericized trademark'. The verb form followed naturally, meaning 'to clean with a vacuum cleaner'. The American English preference for 'vacuum' over 'hoover' reflects different market dynamics in the U.S., where the brand never achieved the same generic status.