chairful en · NOUN · etymology 1
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Indo-European *ḱm̥-th₂der.? Proto-Hellenic *kətá Ancient Greek κατά (katá) Proto-Indo-European *sed-der. Proto-Indo-European *sedreh₂ Proto-Hellenic *hédrā Ancient Greek ἕδρα (hédra) Ancient Greek κᾰθέδρᾱ (kăthédrā)bor. Latin cathedrader. Old French chaierebor. Middle English chayere English chair Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós Proto-Germanic *fullaz Proto-Germanic *-fullaz Old English -ful Middle English -ful English -ful English chairful From chair + -ful.
Meanings
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A person (of a particular quality) that sits in a chair.
Bialik pointed at him and murmured in my ear: "A chairful of Jew."
1977, Maurice Samuel, The Worlds of Maurice Samuel: Selected Writings, page 222:There will be no chairful of girlishness reading Bertha M. Clay, nor a rockerful of grandma knitting, nor a stoolful of big sister strumming " Forgotten."
1929, Munsey's Magazine - Volume 96, page 436:Then came a mixed party, that increased the audience to twelve chairsful, and in the few moments that followed there was such a steady procession of boys and girls, that Tom literally had his hands full.
1886 October 21, John Habberton, “Tom Meredith’s Tableaux”, in The Youth’s Companion, volume LIX, number 42, Boston, Mass.: Perry Mason & Co., page 394:A chairful of hot blonde had taken up residence, and over her giggles and squeals, Neil made sure to catch Sophia's eye.
2014, Alice Clayton, Rusty Nailed, →ISBN, page 90:Whether you're talking to a chairful, a roomful or a nation full of people, the principles of human communication are the same.
1968, Briton Hadden, Time - Volume 91, page 149:If you practice in an exclusive area and have chairfuls of well-healed clients, this axiom probably does not apply.
1981, Aldon J. Hilton, Winning the dental insurance game: operations manual, page 110:
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A quantity that fills a chair.
Garth, the collie, lay between them before the fire, his amber eyes only half-closed, except when in dreams he fought again his old battles ; and a chairful of cats and kittens slumbered peacefully.
1936, Florence Robertson Cameron, Told in Furthest Hebrides:When we got back to Dover Street, pacing the chairful of presents, that letter was awaiting us.
2000, Leon Garfield, Jack Holborn, →ISBN, page 195:My mother carded her own rolls and laid them across a chair till they piled up almost to the top of the chair-back, then put cards aside and spun the whole chairful of rolls.
1942, William Edward Cox, Southern Sidelights, page 37:Every home should have at least one corner that's all his . . . with a big, brawny chairful of solid comfort waiting just for him.
1969, House and Garden - Volume 136, page 180:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| chairsful | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| chairfuls | Number=Plur | lexicographic |