ceil

Pluralceils

Formsceils, ceiling, ceiled

1. 1
   nounabbreviation

   Abbreviation of ceiling. It is the short form used in math for rounding a number up.

   The ceil of 4.2 is 5.

   We used ceil to round the price up to the next dollar.

   Note
2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To cover the inside of a wall or roof with plaster, wood, or boards.

   Like covering a rough wall with a smooth layer, the way frosting covers a cake.

   Workers ceil the hall with smooth white plaster.

   They ceiled the cottage walls with thin pine boards.

   Similarline, panel, plaster

   Note
3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To put an upper limit on how high a number or value can go.

   Like a lid that stops something from rising any higher.

   The new rule ceils the price at twenty dollars.

   They decided to ceil the budget so costs could not rise further.

   Similarcap, limit

   Note
4. 4
   nounliterarycountable

   The top surface inside a room, above your head. A poetic word for the ceiling.

   Like a lid on a box, but it is the top of a room.

   She gazed up at the painted ceil of the great hall.

   Stars seemed to glitter across the cavern's ceil.

   Similarroof

   Note

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