Definition

Noun: 1. A tall chest of drawers: A piece of furniture, typically supported on legs, that is taller than it is wide and contains a vertical arrangement of drawers. Historically, it is often divided into two distinct sections, with the upper section being slightly recessed.

Usage

The word "tallboy" is used to describe a specific type of antique or traditional furniture. It is a compound noun, and its meaning is specific to this item.

Examples

• The antique tallboy in the hallway was a family heirloom.
• She stores her linens in the tallboy in the bedroom.
• The auction featured a beautiful 18th-century mahogany tallboy.

Advanced Usage

• As a descriptor: The term can be used attributively to specify the style of another piece, though this is less common (e.g., "a tallboy dresser").
• Regional Note: In American English, a similar piece of furniture is more commonly called a "highboy" or "chest-on-chest."

Variants and Related Words

• Highboy: (noun) A tall chest of drawers, often with legs, similar to a tallboy. This is the more common term in American English.
• Chest of drawers: (noun) A more general term for a piece of furniture with multiple horizontal drawers.
• Chest-on-chest: (noun) A piece consisting of one chest of drawers placed on top of another, slightly wider one.

Synonyms

• Highboy
• Chest of drawers (though this is a broader category)

Antonyms

• Lowboy (a low chest of drawers, typically on short legs)

Notes

• "Tallboy" is a closed compound word. Its meaning is specific and cannot be deduced solely from the separate words "tall" and "boy."
• The term is primarily used in British English and in contexts discussing antique furniture.

Noun

1. a tall chest of drawers divided into two sections and supported on four legs