sea chest

American

noun

Nautical.

a fitting in a hull below the water line, for admitting or discharging water.
a chest for the personal belongings of a sailor.

sea chest British

noun

a usually large firm chest used by a sailor for storing personal property

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sea chest

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He stopped by a sea chest and stood Nat on it.

From Literature

A sea chest belonging to John Claypoole had been given to the museum in 2019 by another branch of the family.

From Seattle Times

I asked Scooter, “What about your sea chest?”

From Literature

The crack formed on a spot where two pieces were welded together and was hidden behind a sea chest that houses a fire pump, which is part of an onboard sprinkler system.

From Washington Post

Jemmy saw that the prince was wearing a black cloak and carrying a wicker basket the size of a sea chest.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023