below stairs

below stairs

dated In the basement or on the bottom floor of a house, which was once the floor commonly inhabited by servants. All of the servants need to be below stairs before the lord of the manor returns.
See also: below, stair
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

below stairs

in the basement of a house, in particular as the part occupied by servants. British dated
See also: below, stair
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • fall through the floor
  • the floor is yours
  • wipe the floor with
  • wipe the floor with (someone)
  • wipe the floor with somebody
  • wipe the floor with someone
  • crash to the floor
  • come up
  • break someone up
  • bust something up
References in periodicals archive
Also, close observers and readers will note that a robot uses a wrench to lock the boy in the below stairs prison.
Stewart Hofgartner of Below Stairs, an antiques dealer and collector from Hungerford, started buying tradesmen's tools and kitchen gadgets as a schoolboy with his wages from a paper round.
Historical mystery readers will find Death Below Stairs a compelling story as they follow her pursuit of the truth to its surprising conclusion.
LEICESTERSHIRE and Rutland Family History Society, Loughborough Group's 2018 programme begins on Tuesday, January 16, with an entertaining and lively talk by Jo Carter of The National Trust, entitled 'Below Stairs - the life of a ladies maid'.
Meanwhile, below stairs, maid Nancy Skerrett (Nell Hudson, above right) received notice of a windfall from a dead uncle in America that could have set her and her pastry chef beau Charles Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley) up for life.
"I deal with above stairs, not below stairs. I was brought up in a world with clear lines of delineation, and staff - off bounds" Lady Colin Campbell when asked about Princess Diana's one-time butler Paul Burrell's impending same-sex marriage.
So do I" Prime Minister Theresa May "Well, I hope he didn't give you any lip" The Duke of Cambridge on meeting a Gurkha sergeant who served alongside Prince Harry Afghanistan "I deal with above stairs, not below stairs. I was brought up world with clear lines of delineation, and staff - off bounds" Lady Colin Campbell when about Princess Diana's one-butler Paul Burrell's impending same-sex marriage "I am only into real food.
Meanwhile, below stairs, most of the talk is about the prospect of a royal baby, while Skerett discovers her only hope of saving her cousin and small child from imminent death lies with the person she trusts the least.
UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS (1971-75): The original bit of posh had a place in the heart of millions as it followed the dramas and tragedies above and below stairs at 165 Eaton Place.
Below stairs, the royal servants clash with the Coburg princes' haughty valet Lohlein and a girl called Eliza turns up at the palace asking Skerrett for money.
Mistreating people as if they were tenants in tied cottages on the estates of a country aristocracy is imposing the worst of Downton Abbey's required servility below stairs without the benevolence upstairs of Lord Grantham.
While Violet is on the warpath thanks to news about the running of Downton Hospital, those below stairs discover social changes are endangering their futures.
Harley played guitar and sang a variety of both pop and folk songs, ending with a beautiful rendition of 'I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas.' .' She has performed in various musical theatre productions including Oklahoma and Below Stairs. She has also sung in 'The Voice.'.
Below stairs, meanwhile, Thomas is back at Downton but is suffering from a mystery illness.
Downton Abbey SUNDAY, STV, 9PM Returning to Downton in 1924, a new Labour government heralds changes being felt throughout the land, as well as above and below stairs. Plans for a war memorial unexpectedly pit Carson against Robert (Hugh Bonneville), right, and Mrs Hughes.