clothes hamper
1
1.4
- noun
- /kloʊðz ˈhæmpər/
- US
:
cesta de ropa
- Please place your dirty clothes in the clothes hamper so I can wash them later.
- a dirty clothes hamper
- a wicker clothes hamper
- a clothes hamper in the bathroom
Examples
-
She pushed soiled sheets, pillowcases, towels, underwear, and socks of Mitch's into an already stuffed clothes hamper.
Fiction book (1997) -
The mother quickly stripped the boy of his shirt and stockings and threw them toward the clothes hamper.
Fiction book (1990) -
I went in the bathroom and got that towel out of the dirty clothes hamper.
Fiction book (1990) -
Her T-shirt and running shorts were laid on top of the clothes hamper.
Fiction book (1997) -
One stocking missed going into the clothes hamper and stuck to the outside of the clothes hamper.
Fiction book (1990) -
She slept for weeks in one of his shirts, rescued from the dirty clothes hamper.
Fiction book (1994) -
After addressing the envelope, Justine took off her clothes and threw everything in the dirty-clothes hamper.
Blog text (23) -
I thought about my calico, Cassiopeia, who watched me from atop the wicker clothes hamper.
Fiction book (2001) -
She opened the clothes hamper to find her favorite shirt buried underneath a pile of laundry.
-
The clothes hamper was overflowing with wet towels after a long day at the beach.
Synonyms
31
1.9
A large basket with a lid used to carry or store clothes
7
1.0
A basket for holding clothes that need washing or have just been washed
1
1.3
A large container with handles for holding dirty clothes before washing
A basket for holding dirty or wet clothes before they are washed
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a basket for holding dirty clothes' is directly and compositionally derived from 'clothes' (items of clothing) + 'hamper' (a basket/container). This is a regular N+N compound following common English composition patterns (and equivalents exist in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The noun clothes hamper gives a simple picture: a hamper is a basket and clothes are the dirty items you put into it. So a clothes hamper means a container for dirty or wet clothes 'before they are washed'.