entrance
entrance
Pronunciation
/ˈɛntrəns/
Syllable Breakdown:
en-: [ɛn] - The vowel sound is similar to "eh" in "bed," followed by an "n" sound.
-trance: [trəns] - The "tr" blend, followed by a schwa sound (like the "a" in "sofa"), then an "n" sound, and finally an "s" sound.
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: entrance
Plural: entrances
Verb:
Base form: entrance
Third-person singular present: entrances
Present participle: entrancing
Past tense: entranced
Past participle: entranced
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A point or opening through which one can enter a place.
Synonyms: doorway, entry, access, gateway, portal, threshold
Antonyms: exit, egress, departure point
Example: The grand entrance to the old mansion was adorned with intricate carvings.
The act of coming or going into a place; the process of entering.
Synonyms: admission, entry, arrival, access
Antonyms: departure, exit, withdrawal
Example: Her quiet entrance went unnoticed by the bustling crowd.
The right or permission to enter a place.
Synonyms: admission, access, entry
Antonyms: exclusion, denial, refusal
Example: Students were granted entrance to the lecture hall only after presenting their IDs.
Verb
To fill someone with wonder and delight, holding their entire attention; to mesmerize or captivate.
Synonyms: enthrall, mesmerize, hypnotize, captivate, charm, enchant, bewitch
Antonyms: bore, repel, disinterest, disenchant
Example: The magician's performance was so skilled that it seemed to entrance the entire audience.
Examples of Use
Books:
"He led them up a wide stone staircase to the main entrance of the castle." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, June 1997)
"The dark forest seemed to stretch endlessly, with only a small, barely visible path marking its entrance." (Tolkien, The Hobbit, September 1937)
Newspapers:
"The city council approved plans for a new pedestrian entrance to the park, aiming to improve accessibility for local residents." (The Daily Herald, March 2024)
"Security measures were heightened at the stadium's main entrance following recent incidents." (The Guardian, October 2023)
Online Publications:
"Tips for making a grand entrance at your wedding, from dress choice to arrival vehicle." (Brides.com, May 2024)
"New regulations will streamline the entrance process for international students seeking to study in the country." (University World News, February 2024)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: (Dialogue from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, December 2001) "Gandalf: 'Tell me, where is the entrance to Moria?' Frodo: 'There is no entrance!'"
Video Game: (On-screen text in Elden Ring, February 2022) "The entrance to the Raya Lucarian Academy is sealed by a magical barrier."
Song Lyrics: "Stepped into the club, made my grand entrance / All eyes on me, feeling like a goddess." (From a popular song, artist and title withheld for brevity, 2023)
Television Series: "She made a dramatic entrance, interrupting the board meeting with an urgent announcement." (Succession, HBO, March 2023)
General Public Discourse:
"Excuse me, could you point me towards the nearest entrance to the subway station?" (Overheard conversation, January 2024)
"I was completely entranced by the ballet performance; it was absolutely breathtaking." (Casual conversation, November 2023)
"The new policy will significantly impact the entrance requirements for new employees." (Workplace discussion, April 2024)
10 Quotes Using Entrance
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It)
"Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else." (Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead)
"The classroom should be an entrance into the world, not an escape from it." (John Ciardi)
"Here before us was sufficient evidence to show that it really was an entrance to a tomb, and by the seals, to all outward appearances that it was intact." (Howard Carter, regarding the tomb of Tutankhamun)
"Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend." (Ludwig van Beethoven)
"Anybody who has been seriously engaged in scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science are written the words: 'Ye must have faith.'" (Max Planck)
"Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest." (Lady Bird Johnson)
"Remember, the entrance door to the sanctuary is inside you." (Rumi)
"The entrance strategy is actually more important than the exit strategy." (Edward Lampert)
"Yet do I fear thy nature. It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness. ... Here lay Duncan, his silver skin laced with his golden blood, and his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature for ruin's wasteful entrance." (William Shakespeare, Macbeth)
Etymology
The word "entrance" actually has two separate origins, leading to its two main meanings!
1. "Entrance" (as a noun: a way in, or the act of entering)
This "entrance" comes from the Old French word "entrance" (which meant "entry"). This Old French word, in turn, came from the Latin verb "intrare," meaning "to go into" or "to enter."
The first known use of "entrance" in English with this meaning (as "the act of entering") was around the 1520s. Soon after, in the 1530s, it also started to be used to mean "a door or gate" (the physical place you enter). Before "entrance" became common, English speakers used a native word, "ingang," for the same idea.
So, this "entrance" is all about the idea of going into something.
2. "Entrance" (as a verb: to charm or put into a trance)
This "entrance" is a bit newer and has a different story. It comes from combining the English prefix "en-" (meaning "to put in" or "to cause to be") with the noun "trance."
The word "trance" itself has a fascinating history. It came to English in the late 1300s from Old French "transe," which originally meant "swoon" or "a state of fear of evil." This Old French word came from the Latin verb "transire," meaning "to cross over" or "to pass over." The idea here was of the soul passing out of the body or into a different state.
So, the verb "to entrance" literally means "to put someone into a trance," or more generally, "to delight them so much that they are completely absorbed and unaware of their surroundings," as if in a daze. This use of "entrance" first appeared in the 1590s.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Entrance
Grand entrance: A very noticeable and impressive way of arriving.
Make an entrance: To arrive somewhere, often in a way that attracts attention.
Stage entrance: The point where performers enter the stage.
For entrance only: Indicating a door or pathway used solely for entering.
The price of entrance: The cost required to gain admission.
To gain entrance: To get permission or access to enter.
Entrance fee: The money paid to enter a place or event.
Secret entrance: A hidden or concealed way to enter.
An entrancing performance: A performance that is extremely captivating.
To entrance someone with a story: To utterly charm or fascinate someone with a narrative.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of entrance from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
