trunk drawers
Definition
- Noun (plural):
- Short trousers: "trunk drawers" refers to a type of short, often loose-fitting trousers, typically worn as undergarments or for casual wear. The term is archaic or historical, not commonly used in modern English. The word "trunk" here implies a shortened or truncated length, and "drawers" is an older term for underpants or trousers.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- In the 18th century, men wore trunk drawers beneath their breeches. (A historical reference to short undergarments.)
- The costume included a pair of white trunk drawers for the period play. (A specific garment for a theatrical production.)
Advanced Usage
- Historical context: The term "trunk drawers" is largely obsolete in contemporary English, replaced by "shorts" or "underpants." It appears primarily in historical texts, costume descriptions, or discussions of vintage clothing.
- The museum displayed a pair of silk trunk drawers from the Victorian era. (A preserved garment from a past period.)
Variants and Related Words
- Drawers (n, plural): an old-fashioned term for underpants or trousers.
- She wore long drawers under her dress for warmth. (A historical undergarment.)
- Trunk hose (n, plural): a historical garment similar to trunk drawers, but often padded and worn as outerwear in the 16th–17th centuries.
- The Elizabethan costume featured trunk hose and a doublet. (A puffy, short breech.)
Synonyms
- Shorts: short trousers covering the thighs.
- Underpants: an undergarment worn below the waist.
- Breeches: short trousers fastened at the knee (historical).
Related Idioms
- "In one's drawers": an old idiom meaning wearing only undergarments.
- He was caught in his drawers when the fire alarm rang. (He was in his underwear.)
Note: No phrasal verbs or compound words (e.g., "chest of drawers") are listed here, as they are distinct from "trunk drawers." The reference definition from English-Vietnamese ("quần cộc") confirms the meaning as short trousers.