ENGLISH
REFERENCE

chest

n. countable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈtʃɛst// UK //tʃˈɛst// chest Archaic General-service Humorous

n. the front part of your body between your neck and your stomach. It contains your heart and lungs.

n. the anterior portion of the human torso between the neck and the abdomen, enclosed by the ribs and containing the heart and lungs.


SIMPLE

He felt a sharp pain in his chest while running.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor placed the stethoscope against the patient's chest to listen to her heartbeat.

COMPLEX

The athlete's chest expanded deeply as he struggled to catch his breath after the final sprint of the race.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English cheste, chiste, from Old English ċest, ċist (“chest, casket; coffin; rush basket; box”), from Proto-West Germanic *kistu (“chest, box”), from Latin cista (“chest, box”), from Ancient Greek κίστη (kístē, “chest, box, basket, hamper”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English chest, cheste, cheeste, cheaste, from Old English ċēast, ċēas (“strife, quarrel, quarrelling, contention, murmuring, sedition, scandal; reproof”). Related to Old Frisian kāse (“strife, contention”), Old Saxon caest (“quarrel, dispute”), Old High German kōsa (“speech, story, account”).

Usage

Commonly used with the possessive adjective ('my chest', 'his chest') when referring to anatomy.

Idioms4 entries

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