bureaux
Definition
- Noun (plural form of ):
- A chest of drawers: "bureaux" refers to pieces of furniture with drawers, often used for storing clothes or personal items, typically found in bedrooms.
- An office or department: In administrative contexts, "bureaux" denotes government departments, agencies, or offices (e.g., a travel bureau or information bureau).
- A writing desk: Historically, a "bureau" (and thus "bureaux") can mean a desk with a sloping top used for writing, often with drawers.
Usage Examples
- As a chest of drawers:
- The antique shop sold several Victorian bureaux. (Plural of a chest of drawers from the Victorian era.)
- As an office or department:
- The company's branch bureaux are located in three different cities. (Plural of offices that handle administrative tasks.)
- As a writing desk:
- The old library had two mahogany bureaux for scholars to use. (Plural of writing desks made from mahogany.)
Advanced Usage
- "to have bureaux across the country": to have multiple branch offices in various locations.
- The news agency maintains bureaux in all major capitals. (The agency has offices in every important city.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bureau (singular noun): the base form of "bureaux".
- He placed the documents on his bureau. (A single desk or chest of drawers.)
- Bureaucracy (noun): a system of government or management with many rules and departments.
- The company's bureaucracy slowed down decision-making. (The complex administrative system.)
Synonyms
- Chests of drawers: for the furniture meaning.
- Offices: for the administrative meaning.
- Desks: for the writing desk meaning.
Related Idioms
- "the bureau of information": an office that provides data or news.
- She called the travel bureau for flight schedules. (An office that handles travel information.)
Note: "Bureaux" is a plural noun and does not have phrasal verbs or common idioms beyond its use in compound terms like "bureau of investigation."