/steə(r); stɛr/
n
1 stairs [pl] series of fixed steps from one floor of a building to another, usu inside （楼层之间的）楼梯（通常在建筑物内）
*climb a long/short flight of stairs 上一大[小]段楼梯
* She always runs up/down the stairs. 她总是跑着上[下]楼梯.
* I passed her on the stairs. 我在楼梯上遇见她了.
* The stairs need cleaning. 楼梯该打扫一下了.
* at the foot/head of the stairs, ie at the bottom/top of a set of stairs 在楼梯的下端[上端].
2 [C] any one of these steps 梯级
*The child was sitting on the bottom stair. 那孩子正坐在楼梯最下面的一级上.
* The top stair is broken. 楼梯最上面的一级坏了. =>illus 见插图.
3 (idm 习语) below `stairs (dated 旧) in the basement of a house (in large houses, formerly the part used by servants) 在地下室（指大房子中的, 旧时为仆人用的）
*Their affairs were being discussed below stairs, ie by the servants. 他们的仆人正在谈论他们的事情.

NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*(Flights of) stairs are mostly found inside houses or other buildings where people live or work (eg an office block) *(flights of) stairs多见于房屋或其他供人居住或工作的建筑物（如办公楼）中
*He finds it difficult to climb the stairs with his bad leg.他的一条腿有毛病, 上楼梯很困难.
* vacuum the stairs 用吸尘器打扫楼梯. A staircase is the part of the building including the stairs and banisters and sometimes the walls and ceilings surrounding them *staircase指建筑物内容纳楼梯及其栏杆的部分, 有时包括周围的墙壁和天花板
*We must redecorate the staircase. 我们得把楼梯重新装饰一下. (Flights of) steps are usually made of stone or concrete and found outside or in an uninhabited building. *(flights of) steps通常为石料或混凝土制成的, 建于户外或非住房型的建筑物中. We also talk of individual steps which make up a staircase or a flight of steps *steps还可用以指构成楼梯或一段台阶的梯级
*I'll meet you on the steps of the museum. 我在博物馆的台阶上和你相见.
* There are
150 steps to the top of the tower. 到塔顶有150级台阶.
* sitting on the top/bottom step 坐在最上[下]的梯级上.

n
banister, stair, step
[Language: Old English;Origin: stAger]
stairs [plural]
a set of steps built for going from one level of a building to another
→upstairs, downstairs downstairsup/down the stairs
　Jerry ran up the stairs.
the top/head of the stairs
　I left my briefcase at the top of the stairs.
the bottom/foot of the stairs
　'Lisa,' he cried from the foot of the stairs.
　We walked up four flights of stairs (=sets of stairs) .
[C]
one of the steps in a set of stairs
　Lucy sat down on the bottom stair.
[singular]literary
a staircase
below stairs
BrE old-fashioned in the servants' part of a large house, in the past