hope chest

American  

noun

1. (especially formerly) a chest or the like in which a young woman collected clothing, linens, and other articles in anticipation of marriage.

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hope chest British  

noun

1. Also called (esp in Britain): bottom drawer.  a young woman's collection of clothes, linen, cutlery, etc, in anticipation of marriage

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Etymology

Origin of hope chest

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

I’ve been fortunate to have been given a beloved hope chest and dining room pieces used by my great-grandparents, and I love them more every year.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2023

My mother was thrilled and began filling a series of plastic bins with cookware and china as a sort of modern-day hope chest.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2023

The dowry was replaced with a marriage chest, also known as a trousseau or hope chest.

From Washington Post • May 18, 2022

Check out Tuesday’s trivia quiz, where the theme is hope chest.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2022

Eeben’s plane was hundreds of feet up in the air already, way over the clouds, when I suddenly remembered my hope chest!

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver