What is "chest of drawers"

Chest \Chest\ (ch[e^]st), n. [OE. chest, chist, AS. cest, cist, cyst, L. cista, fr. Gr. ki`sth. Cf. Cist, Cistern.]

1. A large box of wood, or other material, having, like a trunk, a lid, but no covering of skin, leather, or cloth.

   Heaps of money crowded in the chest.
   --Dryden.

2. A coffin. [Obs.]

   He is now dead and mailed in his cheste.
   --Chaucer.

3. The part of the body inclosed by the ribs and breastbone; the thorax.

4. (Com.) A case in which certain goods, as tea, opium, etc., are transported; hence, the quantity which such a case contains.

5. (Mech.) A tight receptacle or box, usually for holding gas, steam, liquids, etc.; as, the steam chest of an engine; the wind chest of an organ.

   Bomb chest, See under Bomb.

   Chest of drawers, a case or movable frame containing drawers.

drawer \draw"er\, n.

1. One who, or that which, draws; as:

   1. One who draws liquor for guests; a waiter in a taproom.
      --Shak.

   2. One who delineates or depicts; a draughtsman; as, a good drawer.

   3. (Law) One who draws a bill of exchange or order for payment; -- the correlative of drawee.

2. That which is drawn; as:

   1. A sliding box or receptacle in a case, which is opened by pulling or drawing out, and closed by pushing in.

   2. pl. An under-garment worn on the lower limbs.

      Chest of drawers. See under Chest.

n. A piece of furniture which has multiple parallel, horizontal drawers stacked one above each other, used mainly for the storage of clean clothes.

n. furniture with drawers for keeping clothes [syn: chest, bureau, dresser]

A chest of drawers, also called (especially in North American English) a bureau, is a piece of furniture that has multiple parallel, horizontal drawers stacked one above another.

In American English a dresser is a piece of furniture, usually waist high, that has drawers and normally room for a mirror. In British English a dresser or a Welsh dresser has shelves in the upper section for storing or displaying tableware.

Chests of drawers have traditionally been made and used for storing clothing, especially underwear, socks, and other items not normally hung in or otherwise stored in a closet. They are usually placed in a bedroom for this purpose, but can actually be used to store anything that will fit inside and can be placed anywhere in a house or another place. Various personal sundry items are also often stored in a chest of drawers. It has a long history as one of the stand-bys of a carpenter's workshop. A typical chest is approximately rectangular in overall shape and often has short legs at the bottom corners for placement on the floor.

Chests of drawers often come in 5-, 6-, and 7-drawer varieties, with either a single or a double top drawer. The chest illustrated at right would be described as a '5 over 2 chest-on-chest', the latter term deriving from the fact that at one time it would have been made as 2 separable pieces. They are commonly made of wood, similar to many other kinds of furniture, but of course can be made of other materials. The inside of the drawers can be accessed by pulling them out at the front side. It is often placed so that the back side faces a wall since access to the back is not necessary. The lateral sides are also usually made such that they can be placed against a wall or in a corner. Although they can be plain in appearance, chests of drawers can also be made with a fancy or ornamental appearance, including finishes and various external color tones. Traditionally, drawers would slide out on smooth wood rails. Most modern cabinets use roll-out shelf sliders, made of metal, with rollers.

Most chests of drawers fall into one of two types: those which are about waist-high or bench-high and those (usually with more drawers) which are about shoulder-high. Both types typically have a flat surface on top. Waist-high chests often have a mirror placed vertically on top, which is often bought with the piece. While a user is getting dressed or otherwise preparing their grooming, he or she can look at themselves in the mirror to check their appearance.

A chifforobe (from chiffonier + wardrobe) is a combination of a wardrobe and a chest of drawers.