hoover
(intransitive, British, Irish) To use a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.
Seen in the wild
Herbert Hoover comes to mind, who mostly lived an admirable life selflessly dedicated to public service in American and abroad that saved literally millions of lives with one four-year exception
As a teenager I ripped off half my thumbnail trying to clear a blockage in the Hoover tube with the stick for opening the loft. Phoned my mum at work and she basically told me I was an idiot.
How can Pervert Hoover learn because he is too fat and lazy to read.
bad book! I very much enjoyed this Mother Jones take down of it, though, which accurately describes it as "the Colleen Hoover of psychology"
Kash might be the best thing that ever happened to J. Edgar Hoover’s reputation.
Definitions
(intransitive, British, Irish) To use a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand.
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…
“Herbert Hoover comes to mind, who mostly lived an admirable life selflessly dedicated to public service in American and abroad that saved literally millions of lives with one four-year exception”
— Bluesky· May 2026“As a teenager I ripped off half my thumbnail trying to clear a blockage in the Hoover tube with the stick for opening the loft. Phoned my mum at work and she basically told me I was an idiot.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“How can Pervert Hoover learn because he is too fat and lazy to read.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“bad book! I very much enjoyed this Mother Jones take down of it, though, which accurately describes it as "the Colleen Hoover of psychology"”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Kash might be the best thing that ever happened to J. Edgar Hoover’s reputation.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
(ambitransitive, Britain, Ireland) To clean (a room, etc.) with a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of the brand.
I need to hoover this room.
Comments
(chiefly, UK, Ireland) 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 unconcerne…
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Other words near "hoover" (H)
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Semantically related
- hoovered77%
Having been cleaned with a vacuum cleaner; vacuum-cleaned.
- Hoover bag64%
(US, historical) An empty floursack or similar makeshift bag used by impoverished families to hold belongings or food during the Great Depression.
- Hoover shoe60%
(US, historical) A worn-out shoe that had developed holes in the soles during the Great Depression.