Definition

Noun: 1. A small piece of luggage, typically a soft-sided bag, used for carrying clothes and personal items on short trips. It is often used as an overnight bag or for brief journeys.

Usage

The word "valise" is a somewhat formal or old-fashioned term for a small traveling bag. It is used to describe a piece of hand luggage suitable for short durations. * He packed a clean shirt and a toothbrush into his valise for the overnight business trip. * In the old movie, the detective arrived carrying only a worn leather valise.

Advanced Usage

• "To live out of a valise": To travel frequently or live a transient lifestyle, with all one's necessities in a small bag.
  • As a touring musician, he practically lived out of a valise for months at a time.

Variants and Related Words

• Valise does not have common variants. It is a specific noun.

Synonyms

• Overnight bag: A bag specifically for very short trips.
• Weekender: A bag designed for a weekend's worth of clothes.
• Carry-on: A bag small enough to be taken onto an airplane.
• Gladstone bag: A specific type of old-fashioned suitcase with a hinged frame.

Antonyms

• Trunk: A large, sturdy box for transporting belongings on long journeys.
• Suitcase: A general term for luggage, typically larger than a valise.
• Steamer trunk: A very large trunk used for long sea voyages.

Idioms and Phrases

• "To pack one's valise": To prepare for a departure, often implying a quick or discreet exit.
  • After the argument, she quietly packed her valise and left.

Noun

1. a small overnight bag for short trips