hoover
verb
- vacuum with a hoover
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈhuːvə(ɹ)/ / /ˈhuvɚ/
name
Etymology: The surname is an anglicization of German Huber or Low German Hufer, originally designating a landowner or a prosperous small-scale farmer. The common noun and verb are taken from the brand name of one of the first vacuum cleaners (see hoover).
- An American surname from German (shared by several famous people including J. Edgar Hoover and Herbert Hoover).
- A number of places in the United States:
- A number of places in the United States:
- A number of places in the United States:
- A number of places in the United States:
- A number of places in the United States:
noun
Etymology: A genericized trademark of Hoover, the brand name of one of the first vacuum cleaners, which was sold by The Hoover Company. The American company was founded by William Henry Hoover (1849–1932) and his son Herbert William Hoover, Sr. (1877–1954). The surname Hoover is an Anglicized version of the German Huber, originally designating a landowner or a prosperous small-scale farmer.
- A vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.
“"What do you do about dogs that don't like Hoovers?" […] At the first opportunity place the Hoover in the area where your dog is lying calmly, and since it is normally the noise that sends it into those fits of anger, it should be unconcerned with a silent machine. Continue to place the Hoover in those areas that your pet is relaxing until it is familiar with the Hoover being in such close proximity. […] By continuing to distract your pet each time the Hoover is switched on but stationary, you should be able to move it a little closer without causing your pet any alarm.”
“And the brooms lined up behind the buckets, and the dusters, dustpans, cloths and brushes, feather dusters and sweepers all lined up bravely to do battle with the thousand upright Hoovers. The Hoovers charged, engines roaring and bags fully inflated.”
verb
Etymology: A genericized trademark of Hoover, the brand name of one of the first vacuum cleaners, which was sold by The Hoover Company. The American company was founded by William Henry Hoover (1849–1932) and his son Herbert William Hoover, Sr. (1877–1954). The surname Hoover is an Anglicized version of the German Huber, originally designating a landowner or a prosperous small-scale farmer.
- To clean (a room, etc.) with a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of the brand.
“I need to hoover this room.”
“This time Robbie was dreaming about Mr Spatchley's ducks. They had all come alive and were flying around the office whilst Robbie desperately tried to hoover the floor. There were ducks everywhere, on the desk and mantelpiece and padding around on the floor, knocking things over and quacking indignantly.”
- To use a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.
“I'd hoover, iron or dust, but I hated doing windows.”
“[…] she was always in trouble for not hoovering behind the bed picked up what I could of it still there after he hoovered […]”
- To suck in or inhale, as if by a vacuum cleaner.
“'You're probably thinking I'm a slob,' said Lister, finishing off a quintuple-thick milkshake and hoovering around the base with the straw.”
“Then there is the little-known family of organisms called hantaviruses, which swarm in the micro-haze above the feces of mice and rats and are hoovered into the human respiratory system by anyone unlucky enough to stick a breathing orifice near them—by lying down, say, on a sleeping platform over which infected mice have recently scampered.”