attache case
2
3.6
- noun
- /ˈætəˌʃeɪ ˌkeɪs/
:
maletín
- She opened her attache case to reveal the important documents inside.
- carrying an attache case
- leather attache case
- open the attache case
Junior executive is walking down to the bus underground, carpool, whatever you have it carrying his attache case.
- Junior executive is walking down to the bus underground, carpool, whatever you have it carrying his attache case.
Examples
-
I could see them striding purposefully along a midtown sidewalk, carrying brassbound attache cases on their way to meetings.
Fiction book (1994) -
Myra and Hebbing hurry across the sidewalk from the limo, each carrying an attache case. # MYRA (V.O.) #
Fiction book (1990) -
Finally, she stops, standing the attache case on the coffee table, her hand still on its handle.
Fiction book (1990) -
"A black attache case," he repeated, "I just purchased it not long ago."
Fiction book (2000) -
Dave Smith had already set his attache case on the floor and was reaching for his wallet.
Fiction book (1995) -
And he sat down, leaving Meredith to put her attache case on the table and address the board.
Fiction book (1991) -
Lilly turns back toward the coffee table and picks up the attache case.
Fiction book (1990) -
In my attache case are ownership papers for Everest margarine.
-
So Step opened his attache case, took out a yellow notepad, and wrote a brief note to Dicky.
Fiction book (1992) -
He carried the attache case under his arm as he walked towards the conference room.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A box or container for holding and carrying things like bottles
217
2.0
A flat case with a handle for carrying papers or a laptop
9
4.5
A large flat case for carrying papers or drawings
2
7.7
A shallow rectangular case for carrying documents
How Sturdy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is compositionally predictable: 'attache' refers to a type of briefcase and 'case' denotes a container, so together they straightforwardly denote a flat rectangular briefcase for documents. This noun+noun compounding follows regular English patterns and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows both constituent meanings.
Etymology
Attache case comes from the French word attache, 'a diplomat' who often carried a small flat box for papers. People began to call that box an attache case, so today the term means 'a flat briefcase for documents'.