Vocabulary: furniture

23 entries

#7957

ward [family]

wardrobe
wardrobe
wardrobe /ˈwɔːrdroʊb/ countable noun furniture

"Wardrobe malfunction" became a famous phrase after Janet Jackson's 2004 Super Bowl performance.

  1. a large cupboard or piece of furniture for storing clothes

    She hung her coat in the wardrobe.

  2. a person's entire collection of clothes

    She has an extensive designer wardrobe.

closet vs. wardrobe vs. dresser

All three store clothes, but they differ in structure and function: a closet is a built-in storage room, a wardrobe is a freestanding cabinet for hanging clothes, and a dresser (in American English) is a chest of drawers for folded clothes.

closet
A built-in storage space - a small room or alcove with a door, part of the house's structure. Common in American homes; can also mean any small storage room.
wardrobe
A tall freestanding cabinet for hanging clothes, bought and placed like any other piece of furniture rather than built into the wall. More common in British and European homes, and in older American houses that predate built-in closets.
dresser
(American English) A low, wide piece of furniture made mostly of drawers, used for folded clothes rather than hanging ones, typically topped with a mirror in bedroom sets. (British English uses dresser for an unrelated kitchen piece: a sideboard for displaying crockery.)
  • Function distinguishes wardrobe from dresser: a wardrobe holds clothes on hangers, a dresser holds them folded in drawers - many bedrooms have both.
  • Closet vs. wardrobe is really built-in vs. freestanding, not just American vs. British.
  • Dresser has a completely unrelated British meaning (a kitchen sideboard for crockery), so context matters.
#7689

dresser

dresser
dresser
dresser /ˈdresɚ/ countable noun furniture

American: dresser = chest of drawers for clothes. British: dresser = a kitchen sideboard. Also: "sharp dresser" = a person who dresses fashionably.

  1. (American) a chest of drawers for clothes

    He put his socks in the top drawer of the dresser.

  2. (British) a piece of furniture with shelves for displaying crockery, and drawers below

    The kitchen dresser was lined with blue-and-white china.

closet vs. wardrobe vs. dresser

All three store clothes, but they differ in structure and function: a closet is a built-in storage room, a wardrobe is a freestanding cabinet for hanging clothes, and a dresser (in American English) is a chest of drawers for folded clothes.

closet
A built-in storage space - a small room or alcove with a door, part of the house's structure. Common in American homes; can also mean any small storage room.
wardrobe
A tall freestanding cabinet for hanging clothes, bought and placed like any other piece of furniture rather than built into the wall. More common in British and European homes, and in older American houses that predate built-in closets.
dresser
(American English) A low, wide piece of furniture made mostly of drawers, used for folded clothes rather than hanging ones, typically topped with a mirror in bedroom sets. (British English uses dresser for an unrelated kitchen piece: a sideboard for displaying crockery.)
  • Function distinguishes wardrobe from dresser: a wardrobe holds clothes on hangers, a dresser holds them folded in drawers - many bedrooms have both.
  • Closet vs. wardrobe is really built-in vs. freestanding, not just American vs. British.
  • Dresser has a completely unrelated British meaning (a kitchen sideboard for crockery), so context matters.
#7688

closet

closet
closet
closet /ˈklɑːzət/ countable noun furniture

US closet = UK wardrobe (built-in). "Skeletons in the closet": hidden shameful secrets. "Come out of the closet": reveal homosexuality.

  • a small room or cupboard for storage

    She hung her coats in the closet.

closet vs. wardrobe vs. dresser

All three store clothes, but they differ in structure and function: a closet is a built-in storage room, a wardrobe is a freestanding cabinet for hanging clothes, and a dresser (in American English) is a chest of drawers for folded clothes.

closet
A built-in storage space - a small room or alcove with a door, part of the house's structure. Common in American homes; can also mean any small storage room.
wardrobe
A tall freestanding cabinet for hanging clothes, bought and placed like any other piece of furniture rather than built into the wall. More common in British and European homes, and in older American houses that predate built-in closets.
dresser
(American English) A low, wide piece of furniture made mostly of drawers, used for folded clothes rather than hanging ones, typically topped with a mirror in bedroom sets. (British English uses dresser for an unrelated kitchen piece: a sideboard for displaying crockery.)
  • Function distinguishes wardrobe from dresser: a wardrobe holds clothes on hangers, a dresser holds them folded in drawers - many bedrooms have both.
  • Closet vs. wardrobe is really built-in vs. freestanding, not just American vs. British.
  • Dresser has a completely unrelated British meaning (a kitchen sideboard for crockery), so context matters.
#7687

rug

rug
rug
rug /rʌɡ/ countable noun furniture

Differs from a carpet: rugs are smaller and movable; carpets are typically wall-to-wall. "Pull the rug out from under" = remove crucial support suddenly. "Rug" is also slang for a toupee.

  • a thick piece of fabric used as a floor covering, usually smaller than a carpet

    They bought a Persian rug for the living room.

carpet vs. rug

Both are thick fabric floor coverings, but they differ in size and permanence: a carpet is typically fitted wall-to-wall and fixed in place, while a rug is smaller, freestanding, and easily moved.

carpet
Usually installed wall-to-wall, covering an entire floor and fixed in place; in American English sometimes used loosely for any fabric floor covering, including rugs.
rug
A smaller, freestanding piece of fabric laid over part of a floor - easy to pick up, move, or replace; used to add warmth or definition to part of a room rather than cover the whole floor.
  • An area rug is a rug specifically placed over a hard or carpeted floor to define a smaller space.
  • Carpet sometimes loosely covers both senses in American English, but rug always implies something smaller and movable.
#7686

carpet

carpet
carpet
carpet /ˈkɑːrpɪt/ countable noun furniture

  • a thick fabric covering for a floor

    The bedroom has a blue carpet.

carpet vs. rug

Both are thick fabric floor coverings, but they differ in size and permanence: a carpet is typically fitted wall-to-wall and fixed in place, while a rug is smaller, freestanding, and easily moved.

carpet
Usually installed wall-to-wall, covering an entire floor and fixed in place; in American English sometimes used loosely for any fabric floor covering, including rugs.
rug
A smaller, freestanding piece of fabric laid over part of a floor - easy to pick up, move, or replace; used to add warmth or definition to part of a room rather than cover the whole floor.
  • An area rug is a rug specifically placed over a hard or carpeted floor to define a smaller space.
  • Carpet sometimes loosely covers both senses in American English, but rug always implies something smaller and movable.
#7685

cupboard

cupboard
cupboard
cupboard /ˈkʌbɚd/ countable noun furniture

"P" silent. UK usage common; US: "closet" or "cabinet". "Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard": nursery rhyme.

  • a cabinet for storing dishes, food, or clothes

    She got a plate from the cupboard.

#7678

cabin [family]

cabinet
cabinet
cabinet /ˈkæbɪnət/ countable noun furniture

Originally a small room (a small "cabin"); the political sense comes from the small room where ministers met.

  1. a cupboard with shelves or drawers for storing objects

    She put the dishes in the cabinet.

  2. (government) the most senior committee of a government

    The Prime Minister appointed a new cabinet.

#7673

coat rack

coat rack
coat rack
coat rack /ˈkoʊt ræk/ countable noun furniture

Can be freestanding (a coat tree/coat stand) or wall-mounted (a row of hooks).

  • a stand or wall fixture with hooks or pegs for hanging coats and hats

    He hung his jacket on the coat rack by the door.

#7672

bunk [family]

bunk bed
bunk bed
bunk bed /ˈbʌŋk bed/ countable noun furniture

  • a piece of furniture consisting of two beds, one above the other, that form a unit

    The kids sleep in a bunk bed.

#7671

table [family]

table
1table
coffee table
2coffee table
table /ˈteɪbəl/ countable noun furniture

"Turn the tables" - reverse a situation to one's advantage.

  • 1a piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs, used for eating, working, or placing things on

    They gathered around the kitchen table for dinner.

coffee table /ˈkɔːfi ˌteɪbəl/ countable noun furniture

Low table placed in front of a sofa. "Coffee table book" - a large, decorative book meant for display rather than deep reading.

  • 2a low table placed near a sofa, used to hold drinks, magazines, or decorative items

    They put their feet up on the coffee table.

table vs. desk

Both are flat-surfaced furniture you sit at, but a desk is built for one person's focused work, while a table is a general-purpose surface often shared and rarely fitted with storage.

table
A general-purpose flat surface, often shared by multiple people (a dining table, a conference table); rarely has drawers or built-in storage.
desk
A work surface built for one person's tasks - writing, studying, using a computer - almost always paired with a chair and often includes drawers or shelves for storage.
  • A desk is really a specialized kind of table, but English treats them as separate words because their typical use is so different.
  • Table implies a shared or general surface; desk implies individual work.
#7670

nightstand / bedside table [group]

nightstand
nightstand
nightstand /ˈnaɪtstænd/ countable noun furniture

More common in American English; bedside table is the more widely understood term outside the US.

  • a small table placed beside a bed, used to hold a lamp, clock, or other items

    He kept a glass of water on his nightstand.

bedside table /ˈbedsaɪd ˌteɪbəl/ countable noun furniture

The more widely used term outside the US for the same piece of furniture as a nightstand.

  • a small table placed beside a bed, used to hold a lamp, clock, or other items

    She left her phone charging on the bedside table.

#7669

drawer

drawer
drawer
drawer /drɔːr/ countable noun furniture

Pronounced the same as "draw" - the final "er" is a schwa, not a separate syllable. A "chest of drawers" is a piece of furniture made mostly of drawers, used for clothes storage.

  • a sliding storage box built into a piece of furniture, opened by pulling it toward you

    She kept her socks in the top drawer.

#7668

desk

desk
desk
desk /desk/ countable noun furniture

"Front desk" - hotel or office reception. "Desk job" - office work, often contrasted with manual or field work.

  • a piece of furniture with a flat or sloped surface, typically with drawers, used for writing, reading, or working

    She sat at her desk grading papers.

table vs. desk

Both are flat-surfaced furniture you sit at, but a desk is built for one person's focused work, while a table is a general-purpose surface often shared and rarely fitted with storage.

table
A general-purpose flat surface, often shared by multiple people (a dining table, a conference table); rarely has drawers or built-in storage.
desk
A work surface built for one person's tasks - writing, studying, using a computer - almost always paired with a chair and often includes drawers or shelves for storage.
  • A desk is really a specialized kind of table, but English treats them as separate words because their typical use is so different.
  • Table implies a shared or general surface; desk implies individual work.
#7667

mirror

mirror
mirror
mirror /ˈmɪrɚ/ countable noun furniture

  • a surface, usually of glass with a metallic coating, that reflects light

    She checked her hair in the mirror.

#7666

cushion

cushion
cushion
cushion /ˈkʊʃən/ countable noun furniture

British: cushion = American throw pillow. "Cushion the blow": soften the impact of bad news.

  • a soft pad used to make a seat more comfortable

    She put a cushion behind her back.

#7665

mattress

mattress
mattress
mattress /ˈmætrəs/ countable noun furniture

Common sizes: twin/single, full/double, queen, king. Types: innerspring, memory foam, latex, hybrid. "Mattress in a box": modern direct-to-consumer model.

  • a large pad for sleeping on

    They bought a new memory foam mattress.

#7663

bench [family]

bench
bench
bench /bentʃ/ countable noun furniture

  • a long seat for two or more people

    We sat on a bench near the lake.

#7459

stool [family]

stool
stool
stool /stuːl/ countable noun furniture

"Stool" in medical usage = feces. "Fall between two stools" = fail because of indecision between two options.

  • a seat without a back or arms

    He sat on a stool at the bar.

footstool /ˈfʊtstuːl/ countable noun furniture

Also called an "ottoman" when upholstered. Used to elevate the feet for comfort or to reach things.

  • a low stool on which to rest one's feet

    He put his feet up on the footstool.

#6559

hammock

hammock
hammock
hammock /ˈhæmək/ countable noun furniture

  • a hanging bed made of canvas or netting, suspended between two supports such as trees or posts

    He spent the afternoon napping in a hammock between two palm trees.

#2899

bookshelf / bookcase [group]

bookshelf
bookshelf
bookshelf /ˈbʊkʃelf/ countable noun furniture

Plural: bookshelves. "Bookshelf": single shelf or unit. "Bookcase": full piece of furniture with multiple shelves.

  • a shelf for books

    The bookshelf was sagging under the weight.

bookcase /ˈbʊkkeɪs/ countable noun furniture

Often "Billy" bookcase: IKEA's iconic model, in production since 1979.

  • a piece of furniture with shelves for books

    They bought a new bookcase.

#2816

shelf [family]

shelf
shelf
shelf /ʃelf/ countable noun furniture

Plural: shelves. "On the shelf": unused or postponed. "Shelf life": how long product stays usable.

  • a flat board for storing things

    He placed the book on the shelf.

#2727

sofa / couch [group]

sofa
sofa
sofa /ˈsoʊfə/ countable noun furniture

Sofa and couch are near synonyms; sofa can sound a little more formal.

  • a long soft seat for two or more people

    We watched the movie on the sofa.

couch /kaʊtʃ/ countable noun furniture

Couch is more common in American everyday speech; sofa can sound slightly more formal.

  • a long soft seat for two or more people

    He fell asleep on the couch.

#2288

armchair

armchair
armchair
armchair /ˈɑːrmtʃer/ countable noun furniture

  • a comfortable chair with side supports for the arms

    He fell asleep in the armchair.