display case
12
2.4
- noun
- /dɪˈspleɪ ˌkeɪs/
:
vitrina
- To your right was the display case where my wife kept her collection of Victorian lace fans.
- a glass display case
And as I said, they're in this gorgeous like gifting display case as well.
- And as I said, they're in this gorgeous like gifting display case as well.
- It was a, it was a wooden leg sitting in the display case with a shoe on it.
- And he like pointed behind us and I turned around and there was this huge like glass display case just filled with hair.
Examples
-
Potential buyers hovered around the display cases, making notes in their auction catalogs and furtively eyeing the competition.
Academic text (1998) -
Listen, you know those things in the Hall of History display cases?
-
If we win, does the trophy go in the display case?
-
We had three of his puppets in that display case over there... before they got stolen.
-
On the other side, brilliantly lit in the sunshine, stood display cases with glass tops.
Fiction book (1997) -
A middle-aged woman, standing behind the display case, was weighing a handful of dried dates on a tiny scale.
Fiction book (1999) -
As the visitors leave, Idris lingers behind in order to approach the display case, still fascinated and full of wonder.
Academic text (2001) -
The museum showcased ancient artifacts in a beautifully designed display case.
-
She carefully arranged her collection of rare coins inside the display case for everyone to see.
-
At the store, all the jewelry was nicely arranged in a glass display case.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A box or container for holding and carrying things like bottles
168
1.3
A piece of furniture with shelves or drawers for storing things
5
3.5
A glass case used in shops or museums to display and protect items
4
2.5
A glass cabinet that holds trophies and medals
1
8.9
A glass case for showing and protecting valuable objects, often in shops or museums
How Protective
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a box for showing items' is directly and transparently derived from 'display' (to show or exhibit) + 'case' (a box or container), so the compound denotes a container used for display. This compositional noun-noun pattern is common and predictable in English (and mirrored in many other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The compound noun display case comes from a simple image: a case is a box made to display things. Think of a glass box in a shop or museum that lets people see items while keeping them safe. That's why display case now means a glass container or cabinet used to 'display' and 'protect' items.