chest

Everyday

1. Your chest is the front of your body between your neck and your tummy. tree →
2. A chest is a large strong box with a lid, used for keeping things in, like a treasure chest or toy chest. tree →
3. A chest of drawers is a piece of furniture with drawers for clothes. tree →

In the lessons

In science your chest holds your heart and lungs, protected by the ribcage; it rises and falls when you breathe. In health, chest pains or a bad chest cough need a doctor. In first aid, CPR is done by pressing on the middle of the chest. In stories, pirates bury treasure chests. At home, toys are kept in a toy chest; a safe chest of drawers should be fixed to the wall so it can't tip over. «Get it off your chest» means tell someone what is worrying you.

Examples

• Your heart is inside your chest. tree →
• Put your hand on your chest and feel it move as you breathe. tree →
• The pirates found a chest full of gold. tree →
• Put your toys back in the toy chest. tree →
• My clothes are in the chest of drawers. tree →
• He has a bad chest cold. tree →
• Talk to someone and get it off your chest. tree →
• His chest heaved hard and fast. tree →

Note

Countable. Not the same as «breast». «Chest of drawers» is one piece of furniture (UK); Americans also say «dresser». Plural «chests».

In Jewish tradition

In the Tanakh a chest is a strong box for keeping things. In Chronicles King Joash had one set at the Temple gate for the people's gifts, and Ezekiel mentions chests of rich clothing among the goods traded.

Interpretation. In Sefer Yetzirah the three mother letters match parts of the body. Aleph, the letter of air, is paired with the chest, the head with fire, and the belly with water.

Examples

• He caused the letter Aleph to reign in Air and crowned it, and combining it with the others He sealed it, as Air in the World, as the temperate (climate) of the Year, and as the chest (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• These three mothers again represent in the Microcosm or Human form, male and female; the Head, the Belly, and the Chest; the bead from the fire, the belly from water, and the chest from the air lieth between them. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
• So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD. (Writings 2CH.24.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end. (Writings 2CH.24.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• These were thy traffickers in gorgeous fabrics, in wrappings of blue and richly woven work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords and cedar-lined, among thy merchandise. (Prophets EZK.27.24, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable. Not the same as «breast». «Chest of drawers» is one piece of furniture (UK); Americans also say «dresser». Plural «chests».