highboy

English

Etymology

See high and tallboy.

Noun

highboy (plural highboys)

Philadelphia highboy (State Dept. collection), ca. 1760
  1. A tall chest of drawers raised up on high legs.
    • 1897, Katharine Lee Bates, American Literature
      mahogany highboys glittering with brass handles
    • 1929 June, Cescinsky, Herbert, “American furniture problems”, in The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, volume 54, number 315, page 313:
      ... the well-known Pennsylvania "Highboy," which is only the English "Tallboy" double-chest elevated on cabriole legs ....
    • (US) National Gallery of Art
      During the Queen Anne period in America, the highboy attained its characteristic form. [...] The cabriole leg was a distinctive feature developed in the Queen Anne period; its shape repeats the S-curve that dominated all Queen Anne design.
  2. (dated) One who enjoys the high life.
  3. (dated) A political highflier.

Synonyms

Translations

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.