WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
roof•er
(ro̅o̅′fər, rŏŏf′ər),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- a person who makes or repairs roofs.
- roof + -er1 1840–50
roof /ruf, rʊf/USA pronunciation
n.
v. [~ + object]
roof•er, n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [countable]
- the outside, upper covering of a building.
- something that covers like a roof, such as the top of a car.
- (used to refer to a whole house):They lived under the same roof for years.
v. [~ + object]
- to provide or cover with a roof.
- Idioms, go through the roof:
- (esp. of costs) to increase quickly and surprisingly:The cost of improvements has gone through the roof.
- Also, hit the roof. to lose one's temper:She'll hit the roof when she hears how much we spent.
roof•er, n. [countable]
roof
(ro̅o̅f, rŏŏf ),USA pronunciation n., pl. roofs, v.
n.
n.
- the external upper covering of a house or other building.
- a frame for supporting this:an open-timbered roof.
- the highest part or summit:The Himalayas are the roof of the world.
- something that in form or position resembles the roof of a house, as the top of a car, the upper part of the mouth, etc.
- a house.
- Miningthe rock immediately above a horizontal mineral deposit.
- go through the roof:
- to increase beyond all expectations:Foreign travel may very well go through the roof next year.
- Also, hit the roof, [Informal.]to lose one's temper;
become extremely angry.
- raise the roof, [Informal.]
- to create a loud noise:The applause raised the roof.
- to complain or protest noisily:He'll raise the roof when he sees that bill.
- to provide or cover with a roof.
- bef. 900; Middle English (noun, nominal); Old English hrōf; cognate with Dutch roef cover, cabin, Old Norse hrōf
v.t.