stair
1.说楼梯的“级”用stair(等于step)。例如:He was standing on the bottom stair. 和The child climbed up three stairs without help. 说“整个楼梯”用stair,stairs,flight of stairs或pair of stairs都可以。例如:
- There is a winding stair between the third and fourth floors.
- I met him on the stairs just now.
- There is a flight(或pair)of stairs between the third and fourth floors.
下面几点该注意:
(1)用stair指楼梯的“级”主要用在英格兰,在美国和苏格兰通常用step而不用stair。
(2)用stair指“楼梯”主要用在苏格兰。
(3)flight of stairs和stairs在英格兰和美国都通用。
(4)pair of stairs现在不很普通。
2.below stairs通常指“在地下室”或“在仆人的住处”,并不统指“在楼下”。