hope chest
noun
(especially formerly) a chest or the like in which a young woman collected clothing, linens, and other articles in anticipation of marriage.
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Origin of hope chest
First recorded in 1910–15
Words nearby hope chest
Hopatcong, hop clover, hope, hope against hope, Hope, Bob, hope chest, Hope diamond, hopeful, hopefully, hopeful monster, Hopeh
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for hope chest
Why, any girl would be glad to start a hope-chest with this, laughed Ruth.
Polly and Her Friends Abroad|Lillian Elizabeth Roy
British Dictionary definitions for hope chest
hope chest
noun
US and Canadian a young woman's collection of clothes, linen, cutlery, etc, in anticipation of marriageAlso called (esp in Britain): bottom drawer
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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