bottom drawer
A young woman carefully folds a wedding dress and places it in her bottom drawer.
- Noun:
- Household storage: A "bottom drawer" refers to the lowest drawer in a piece of furniture, such as a dresser or chest of drawers.
- Trousseau collection (historical/regional): In British English, "bottom drawer" traditionally denotes a collection of household items, linens, and clothing that a young woman gathers in preparation for her future marriage. This drawer is often the lowest one in a chest, where these items are stored.
Noun (household storage):
- She kept her winter sweaters in the bottom drawer of the dresser. (The lowest drawer in the furniture piece.)
- The bottom drawer is hard to open because it is full of old documents. (The drawer at the base of a cabinet.)
Noun (trousseau collection):
- My grandmother started her bottom drawer when she was sixteen, collecting embroidered napkins and towels for her wedding. (The collection of items prepared for marriage.)
- She added a set of fine china to her bottom drawer every year. (The accumulation of household goods for a future married life.)
"to have a bottom drawer": to be actively collecting items in preparation for marriage.
- In her culture, it was customary for every engaged woman to have a bottom drawer. (She was gathering household goods for her wedding.)
"bottom drawer mentality": a mindset focused on saving and preparing for a future life event, especially marriage.
- Her bottom drawer mentality meant she never bought anything without thinking of its potential use in her future home. (A frugal, future-oriented approach to collecting.)
Bottom-drawer (adj): relating to or characteristic of a collection of items prepared for marriage.
- She bought a bottom-drawer set of silverware. (Silverware intended for her future married household.)
Trousseau (n): the collection of personal possessions, clothing, and linens that a bride assembles for her marriage (synonymous with "bottom drawer" in the historical sense).
- Her trousseau included handmade lace and monogrammed sheets. (Her marriage collection.)
- Hope chest: a chest or box where a young woman stores items for her future marriage (North American English).
- Glory box: a similar term used in Australia and New Zealand for a box or drawer containing items for marriage.
- Wedding chest: a container for storing goods intended for a new household after marriage.
"to have something in one's bottom drawer": to possess an item kept aside for a specific future purpose, often marriage.
- She had a beautiful quilt in her bottom drawer, waiting for her wedding day. (She kept it stored for the future.)
"to start a bottom drawer": to begin collecting household items in anticipation of marriage.
- When she turned eighteen, her mother encouraged her to start a bottom drawer. (Begin the collection process.)