chest / chest/ • n. 1. the front surface of a person's or animal's body between the neck and the abdomen. ∎  the whole of a person's upper trunk, esp. with reference to physical size: a 42-inch chest. ∎ inf. a woman's breasts.2. a large strong box, typically made of wood and used for storage or shipping: an oak chest. ∎  a small cabinet for medicines, toiletries, etc.: the medicine chest. ∎ short for chest of drawers. ∎  Brit. the treasury or financial resources of some institutions: the university chest.PHRASES: get something off one's chest inf. say something that one has wanted to say for a long time, resulting in a feeling of relief.play (or keep) one's cards close to one's chest (or vest) inf. be secretive and cautious about one's intentions.DERIVATIVES: chest·ed adj. [in combination] a bare-chested youth.

chest box, coffer OE.; thorax XVI. OE. ċest, ċist, corr. to MDu. kiste (Du. kist), OHG. kista (G. kiste), ON. kista :- Gmc. *kistō — L. cista — Gr. kistē box, chest.

Chest

a box; the quantity or the things contained. See also case.

Examples: chest of clothes, 1865; of tools, 1854; of viols, 1611.

chest (chest) n. see thorax.