lobby
LOB-ee
Lobby (noun) means an entrance hall or waiting area in a building. Example: “Visitors wait in the lobby until someone from the office comes to collect them.”
noun
1
An entrance hall or waiting area in a building.
"Visitors wait in the lobby until someone from the office comes to collect them."
"We arranged to meet in the hotel lobby at noon."
"The lobby was decorated with marble floors and a grand chandelier."
2
A group of people who try to influence lawmakers or public officials on a particular issue.
"The farming lobby wants the government to give more help to small farms."
"A powerful lobby of car makers argued against the new rules."
"The oil lobby spent millions opposing the new regulations."
verb
1
To try to persuade a public official or decision-maker to support a particular cause.
"Parents lobbied the council for a safe crossing outside the school."
"Environmental groups lobbied Congress to pass stricter emissions laws."
"She lobbied hard for better funding for local schools."
How to use lobby
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA building's entrance hall, an interest group that pressures politicians, or the act of pressuring them.
Common pairings
hotel lobby
the gun lobby
lobby for change
lobby Congress
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Word forms
- Plural
- lobbies
- Third person singular
- lobbies
- Past tense
- lobbied
Fill the gap
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Visitors wait in the _____ until someone from the office comes to collect them.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin lobia, "a covered walkway or gallery" — the political sense grew from people gathering in the entrance hall of a legislature to buttonhole lawmakers.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for lobby
See all rhymes for lobby →Frequently asked questions
What does “lobby” mean?
The word “lobby” means an entrance hall or waiting area in a building. In plain terms, a building's entrance hall, an interest group that pressures politicians, or the act of pressuring them.
How do you pronounce “lobby”?
“Lobby” is pronounced LOB-ee (/ˈlɑ.bi/ in IPA).
How do you use “lobby” in a sentence?
Here is “lobby” used in a sentence: “We arranged to meet in the hotel lobby at noon.”
What part of speech is “lobby”?
Depending on how it is used, “lobby” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “lobby” come from?
The word “lobby” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin lobia, "a covered walkway or gallery" — the political sense grew from people gathering in the entrance hall of a legislature to buttonhole lawmakers.
Is “lobby” a common word?
“Lobby” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “lobby” have?
“Lobby” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an entrance hall or waiting area in a building.
What is the difference between a lobby and a foyer?
Both are entrance areas, and in many buildings the words are interchangeable. "Lobby" is the usual word for the reception and waiting area of a hotel, office block, or apartment building, while "foyer" is preferred for the entrance hall of a theatre, concert hall, or private home.
How are the two meanings of lobby connected?
The political sense grew out of the architectural one: people seeking to influence lawmakers would wait in the lobby — the entrance hall — of a legislative building to speak with them. From that practice, "lobby" came to name both the activity of persuasion and the organized groups who pursue it.
What is the difference between lobbying and advocacy?
Advocacy is the broad activity of publicly arguing for a cause, aimed at anyone from the general public to the media. Lobbying is narrower: it means trying to persuade lawmakers or public officials directly to support a particular cause, and in many countries it is a formally regulated activity.
What are the verb forms of lobby?
Lobby follows the regular pattern for verbs ending in a consonant plus y: lobbies, lobbied, lobbying. The same spelling change applies to the plural of the noun — one lobby, two lobbies.
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