cedar chest
1
4.0
- noun
- /ˈsiːdər tʃɛst/
:
baúl de cedro
- cedar chest at the foot
Examples
-
In the hall, I lift the heavy lid of the cedar chest and breathe in the dark, resinous smell that is death to moths.
Academic text (1991) -
I keep them in the cedar chest, where they'll be safe from the chewing moths.
Fiction book (1999) -
"Well, this is nice," she said, patting the pillows and lining up my dolls on the cedar chest.
Fiction book (1990) -
I brought my treasured possession home and reverently laid it in my cedar chest, where it lies in repose to this day.
Blog text (11) -
She didn't have much furniture in her bedroom: the corner desk, the rocking chair, the cedar chest at the end of her single bed, and her bookcase.
Blog text (23) -
I keep my winter blankets in the cedar chest to protect them from moths.
-
After clearing out my closet, I decided to store my clothes in the cedar chest.
-
The cedar chest at the foot of the bed is filled with our family heirlooms.
Synonyms
363
1.0
A large strong box for storing clothes or valuables
How Protective
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a wooden chest made of cedar' is directly and compositionally derived from 'cedar' (a type of timber) + 'chest' (a box or piece of furniture). The specialized use for storing linens to protect from moths is conventional cultural knowledge but not required to identify the referent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand the basic meaning.
Etymology
Cedar chest The name cedar chest comes from making a chest out of cedar wood. Cedar gives off a strong smell and oils that keep moths away, so people stored clothes and quilts inside to protect them. So today cedar chest means 'a wooden chest used to protect clothes and linens from moths'.