[Magdalen] Terminology query (was Re: speaking of downsizing...)

[Kate Conant]

​Wikipedia says about Jay's usage (and mine):  A *chest of drawers*, also
called (especially in North American English
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_English>) a *bureau*, is a
piece of furniture <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture> that has
multiple parallel, horizontal drawers
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawer_(furniture)> stacked one above another.

Maybe we can go on to various words for couch/davenport/sofa/Chesterfield
???? <grin>

"What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk
humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:8

On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 5:43 PM, Roger Stokes <roger.stokes65 at btinternet.com
> wrote:

> On 31/03/2015 22:20, Lesley de Voil wrote:
>
>> Yes, sometimes in Australia a bureau can refer not only to a covered
>> writing desk, but also to a combination small (<5ft high) hanging
>> wardrobe with an even smaller nest of drawers with a mirror over,
>> incorporated  beside it. Both seem to be remarkably lacking in modern
>> furniture emporia.
>>
>
> I would be more inclined to call that simply a tallboy. Looking up my
> Concise English Dictionary I see it does note an American usage as a chest
> of drawers.  I find that usage hard to reconcile with the etymology from
> the French for baize which would be used on a writing desk.
>
> Roger, somewhat tendentiously
>