Word
gladstone
Phoneticsglad·stone
US/ˈɡɫædˌstoʊn/
UK/ɡlˈædstəʊn/
Definition
n. a small suitcase that opens into two equal parts. It was popular a long time ago and is usually made of stiff leather.
n. a light travelling bag or portmanteau made of stiff leather, constructed on a hinged iron frame that allows it to open into two equal compartments. Named after the British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone.
Examples
“He packed his clothes into an old leather gladstone.”
“The detective arrived at the scene carrying a heavy gladstone filled with various forensic tools.”
“In Victorian literature, the gladstone often serves as a symbol of the mobile middle class, representing a shift toward more compact and efficient modes of personal travel.”
Examples
simple
“He packed his clothes into an old leather gladstone.”
contextual
“The detective arrived at the scene carrying a heavy gladstone filled with various forensic tools.”
complex
“In Victorian literature, the gladstone often serves as a symbol of the mobile middle class, representing a shift toward more compact and efficient modes of personal travel.”
Usage
Often used as 'gladstone bag'; when used alone, it remains a countable noun.
Etymology
From Old English glæd (“shining”) + stān (“stone”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/gladstone