- the front part of the trunk from the neck to the bellyRelated adjective(s): pectoral
- (as modifier): a chest cold
- the front part of the trunk from the neck to the belly
- get something off one's chest ⇒ informal to unburden oneself of troubles, worries, etc, by talking about them
- a box, usually large and sturdy, used for storage or shipping: a tea chest
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
chest /tʃɛst/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
chest•ful /ˈtʃɛstfʊl/USA pronunciation n. [countable], pl. -fuls:was wearing a chestful of medals.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Anatomythe front portion of the body enclosed by the ribs; thorax:The policeman had been shot in the chest.
- Furniturea box, usually with a lid, for storage, safekeeping of valuables, shipping, etc.
- Furniture chest of drawers.
- Furniturea small cabinet, esp. one hung on a wall, for storage, as for medicines, etc.:the top shelf of the medicine chest.
- Idioms get something off one's chest, [ get + obj + off + one's + ~] to discuss a problem that one has kept to oneself:I've got to get this worry off my chest.
chest•ful /ˈtʃɛstfʊl/USA pronunciation n. [countable], pl. -fuls:was wearing a chestful of medals.
chest
(chest),USA pronunciation n.
chest•ful
(chest′fŏŏl),USA pronunciation n.
- Anatomythe trunk of the body from the neck to the abdomen; thorax.
- a box, usually with a lid, for storage, safekeeping of valuables, etc.:a toy chest; a jewelry chest.
- Businessthe place where the funds of a public institution or charitable organization are kept;
treasury;
coffer. - Businessthe funds themselves.
- a box in which certain goods, as tea, are packed for transit.
- the quantity contained in such a box:a chest of spices.
- FurnitureSee chest of drawers.
- Furniturea small cabinet, esp. one hung on a wall, for storage, as of toiletries and medicines:a medicine chest.
- Idioms get (something) off one's chest, [Informal.]to relieve oneself of (problems, troubling thoughts, etc.) by revealing them to someone.
- Idioms play it close to the chest. See vest (def. 8).
- Greek kístē box
- Latin cista
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English cest, cist
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
chest /tʃɛst/ n
'chest' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
ambry
- angina
- ark
- armoire
- artificial respiration
- asthma
- bag
- barrel-chested
- bear hug
- bench press
- black bear
- bosom
- bottom drawer
- breast
- breastplate
- bunker
- bureau
- bust
- caisson
- cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- cardiothoracic
- case
- cashier
- casket
- chest of drawers
- chesty
- chiffonier
- cist
- coffer
- community chest
- constriction
- corset
- crepitus
- cuirass
- dab
- décolleté
- defibrillator
- drawer
- dresser
- duchesse
- empyema
- escritoire
- excepting
- gorget
- hamadryas
- highboy
- hope chest
- kist
- murmur
- acne