In Britain the upper Chamber is the House of Lords, and the lower the House of Commons. 英国上院即贵族院,下院即众议院。
After a long debate, the house of commons approved the bill. 经过长时间的辩论,下议院通过了议案。
He made a statement before the House of Commons. 他在下议院当众发表了一个声明。
commons
[ noun ]
a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area
<noun.location> they went for a walk in the park
a pasture subject to common use
<noun.location>
a class composed of persons lacking clerical or noble rank
<noun.group>
the common people
<noun.group>
Commons \Com"mons\, n. pl., 1. The mass of the people, as distinguished from the titled classes or nobility; the commonalty; the common people. [Eng.]
'T is like the commons, rude unpolished hinds, Could send such message to their sovereign. --Shak.
The word commons in its present ordinary signification comprises all the people who are under the rank of peers. --Blackstone.
2. The House of Commons, or lower house of the British Parliament, consisting of representatives elected by the qualified voters of counties, boroughs, and universities.
It is agreed that the Commons were no part of the great council till some ages after the Conquest. --Hume.
3. Provisions; food; fare, -- as that provided at a common table in colleges and universities.
Their commons, though but coarse, were nothing scant. --Dryden.
4. A club or association for boarding at a common table, as in a college, the members sharing the expenses equally; as, to board in commons.
5. A common; public pasture ground.
To shake his ears, and graze in commons. --Shak.
{Doctors' Commons}, a place near St. Paul's Churchyard in London where the doctors of civil law used to common together, and where were the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts and offices having jurisdiction of marriage licenses, divorces, registration of wills, etc.
{To be on short commons}, to have a small allowance of food. [Colloq.]
But in the middle of a circle of caves will be the group's commons area, also dubbed "interaction nodes," for group meetings.
This contributed to the strong support he was given last Thursday when he successfully defended himself in the commons debate on the economy.
I chose the black flag because of the sad state of affairs on our campus and in our country." To enforce the ban on rallies, guardsmen drove past in a jeep, ordering students through a bullhorn to leave the commons.
Using what designers have dubbed the "cave and commons" approach, each employee will have his or her own private space, or "cave."