chest
/tʃɛst
/noun
1The front surface of a person’s or animal’s body between the neck and the stomach: she crossed her arms across her chest he was very well built, with a muscular chest...
- Gabriel removed his shirt, and I kissed his neck, his chest, his stomach, over and over again.
- The water slowly went up to my knees, to my stomach, to my chest, to my neck.
- A rash then appears in patches, usually behind the ears, under the arms, on the chest and stomach, and the arms and legs.
1.1The whole of a person’s upper trunk, especially as considered with reference to their respiratory health or to their size of clothes: a bad chest a 42-inch chest...
- And in the late evening I was bundled off to the Accident and Emergency department suffering from bad pains in the chest.
- I would only be inflicting my germs all over you and giving you a bad chest.
- The surface of the anterior chest wall and abdominal area were sterilized with ethanol.
Synonyms
bust, bosom
archaic embonpoint
2A large strong box, typically made of wood and used for storage or transport: an oak chest...
- On one side of the room there were a few boxes and chests of storage, but Josie didn't mind.
- The storage chest was fairly easy, too, although it took a while to build because there were so many screws.
- She removed several ammo clips from a storage chest and fitted them into her utility belt.
Synonyms
box, case, casket, crate, trunk, coffer, strongbox;
container, receptacle
2.1A small cabinet for medicines, toiletries, etc. the medicine chest...
- It is also important to make sure that not only cabinets under the sink are locked but that medicine cabinets or chests are also secured.
- She went to a small chest in the corner, it held their medicine supplies.
- He placed his toiletries in the topmost drawer of the chest, then strolled across to the window.
2.2British The treasury or financial resources of some institutions: the university chest...
- Banks have been asked to take over the currency chests which are at present managed by the various State Government treasuries.
- She has not received that sum because she did not claim it, and therefore the Treasury chest has not been reduced by that amount.
verb [with object and adverbial of direction] Soccer
Propel (the ball) by means of one’s chest: he chested the ball down...
- The midfielder, revelling in a more advanced role, chested the ball down and lashed it into the far corner of the net with his left foot.
- As the ball found its way to him, he chested it down and calmly volleyed it towards the goal.
- He chested it down and sent a dipping right-footed volley into the top corner.
Phrases
get something off one's chest
play (or keep) one's cards close to one's chest (or vest)
Derivatives
chested
[in combination]: a broad-chested athlete
Origin
Old English cest, cyst, related to Dutch kist and German Kiste, based on Greek kistē 'box'.
The Greek word kistē, ‘box or basket’, is the source of chest. Not until the 16th century was the same word applied to the part of your body enclosed by the ribs and breastbone, acting as a protective ‘box’ for the heart, lungs, and other organs. Cistern (Middle English) is from the same root.