the top limit imposed by law on the amount of money that can be charged or spent or the quantity of goods that can be produced or sold.
Aeronautics.
the maximum altitude from which the earth can be seen on a particular day, usually equal to the distance between the earth and the base of the lowest cloud bank.
Also called absolute ceiling. the maximum altitude at which a particular aircraft can operate under specified conditions.
Meteorology. the height above ground level of the lowest layer of clouds that cover more than half of the sky.
a lining applied for structural reasons to a framework, especially in the interior surfaces of a ship or boat.
Also called ceiling piece .Theater. the ceiling or top of an interior set, made of cloth, a flat, or two or more flats hinged together.
the act or work of a person who makes or finishes a ceiling.
vaulting, as in a medieval church.
Idioms for ceiling
hit the ceiling, Informal. to become enraged: When he saw the amount of the bill, he hit the ceiling.
Origin of ceiling
1350–1400, for def. 7; Middle English; see ceil, -ing1
At some point, the skyrocketing subscriber business could hit a ceiling or investors could demand better margin growth.
‘Unstoppable innovator’: The meteoric rise of Meredith Kopit Levien, the next New York Times CEO|Steven Perlberg|August 19, 2020|Digiday
Especially interesting are prints found on the cave’s ceiling.
The challenge of dinosaur hunting in deep caves|John Pickrell|May 19, 2020|Science News For Students
Now intriguingly enough, the animation showcases a rather curious opening along the ceiling, which was actually called the compluvium.
The Roman Domus (House): Architecture and Reconstruction|Dattatreya Mandal|April 8, 2020|Realm of History
For one, developers had less incentive to build new housing if there was a ceiling placed on what they could charge.
Why Rent Control Doesn’t Work (Ep. 373 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|March 12, 2020|Freakonomics
T-Mobile, for instance, had a program called Binge On that let customers stream Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu without that counting toward their data-usage ceiling.
Can You Hear Me Now? (Ep. 406)|Stephen J. Dubner|February 20, 2020|Freakonomics
Fourteen years on, the wooden stairs and ceiling are still charred, and the walls are studded with clusters of bullet holes.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He grasps the phone in his capable hand, outstretches his long arm toward the ceiling, and angles it down just so.
The Ugly Truth About Cory Booker, New Jersey’s Golden Boy|Olivia Nuzzi|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The nuptials reportedly took place under a ceiling of rose petals, surrounded by 100 or more of their close friends and family.
After the Wedding: George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin in Venice|Barbie Latza Nadeau|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Paper flags of countries that have fought for freedom hang on strings from the ceiling like nationalist Christmas lights.
Scotland’s ‘Yes’ Campaign and the Myth of Scottish Equality|Noah Caldwell|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was similarly painted and pasted with historical figures covering the walls and ceiling.
On the Road With Kesey's (Drug-Free) Acid Test|Nina Strochlic|August 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"I certainly don't spend my whole time lying on my back looking at the ceiling," she answered rather brusquely.
The Limit|Ada Leverson
I was too frightened to move for several minutes, but when I looked up the ceiling was back in place as if nothing had touched it.
Seeing Things at Night|Heywood Broun
He went on with his work of making a hole large enough in the ceiling to let himself through to the room beneath.
Warriors of Old Japan and Other Stories|Yei Theodora Ozaki
The ceiling and the walls, as you will observe, are covered with names.
Summer Days in Shakespeare Land|Charles G. Harper
Stubbs settled further back in his chair and studied the ceiling.
The Web of the Golden Spider|Frederick Orin Bartlett
British Dictionary definitions for ceiling
ceiling
/ (ˈsiːlɪŋ) /
noun
the inner upper surface of a room
an upper limit, such as one set by regulation on prices or wages
(as modifier)ceiling prices
the upper altitude to which an aircraft can climb measured under specified conditionsSee also service ceiling, absolute ceiling
meteorolthe highest level in the atmosphere from which the earth's surface is visible at a particular time, usually the base of a cloud layer
a wooden or metal surface fixed to the interior frames of a vessel for rigidity