bottom drawer

American  

[drawr] / drɔr /

noun

British.

1. any drawer used for a hope chest.

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bottom drawer British  

noun

1. US and Canadian equivalent: hope chest.  a young woman's collection of clothes, linen, cutlery, etc, in anticipation of marriage

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Etymology

Origin of bottom drawer

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bottom drawer

Mr Brettell said the ancient citrus fruit was discovered in the bottom drawer of a 19th century chest salvaged during a house clearance.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2024

The left of the bottom drawer is all cheese and dairy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2023

I thought, “Yeah, you’ve got a script in the bottom drawer somewhere. Come on, you’re just not telling me what you want to do with the guy.”

From New York Times ● Jul. 14, 2023

When Abigail Echo-Hawk first started her job as director of the Urban Indian Health Institute, she felt compelled to open the bottom drawer of a file cabinet in the corner of her office.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 23, 2018

While looking, I found all of my letters to him from the institute, carelessly thrown in a bottom drawer with ink and supplies.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys