plat ‧ form S3 W3 /ˈplætfɔːm $ -fɔːrm/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: plateforme 'diagram, map' , from plat 'flat' + forme 'form' ]
1 . TRAIN especially British English the raised place beside a railway track where you get on and off a train in a station:
The Edinburgh train will depart from platform six.
2 . FOR SPEECHES a stage for people to stand on when they are making a speech, performing etc:
a small raised platform at one end of the room
3 . POLITICS
a) [usually singular] the main ideas and aims of a political party, especially the ones that they state just before an election ⇨ plank :
a strong women’s rights platform
the Labour party platform
b) a chance for someone to express their opinions, especially their political opinions
platform for
The conference provides a platform for people on the left wing of the party.
4 . STRUCTURE a tall structure built so that people can stand or work above the surrounding area:
an oil exploration platform
5 . COMPUTERS the type of computer system or software that someone uses:
the UNIX platform
a multimedia platform
6 . EXPRESS IDEAS an opportunity to express your ideas to a large number of people
platform for
We mustn’t give these groups a platform for their propaganda.
7 . BUS British English the open part at the back of some ↑ double-decker buses, where passengers get on and off
8 . SHOES platforms ( also platform shoes ) [plural] shoes that have a thick layer of wood, leather etc under the front part and the heel
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ station a place where trains or buses regularly stop:
The town has its own railway station.
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Paddington Station in west London
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the bus station
▪ terminus the station or stop at the end of a railway or bus line:
We’ve arranged to meet her at the Victoria bus terminus.
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the railway terminus in central Calcutta
▪ track [usually plural] the metal lines along which trains travel. This is sometimes used in American English to say which part of a station a train will leave from:
The passenger train, traveling at 120 mph, careered off the tracks.
▪ platform the raised place beside a railway track where you get on and off a train in a station – used especially to say which part of a station a train will leave from:
Trains for Oxford leave from Platform 2.
▪ ticket office ( also booking office British English ) the place at a station where tickets are sold:
You can buy rail tickets online or at the ticket office.
▪ departures board British English ( also departure board American English ) a board saying when and from which part of a station each train will leave:
The departures board said that the train was ten minutes late.