coffer
See also: Coffer
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old French cofre, coffre, from Latin cophinus (“basket”), from Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter "sc" should be a valid script code; the value "polytonic" is not valid. See WT:LOS.. Doublet of coffin.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkɒfə/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkɔfɚ/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈkɑfɚ/
- Homophones: cougher
- Rhymes: -ɒfə(ɹ)
Noun
coffer (plural coffers)
- A strong chest or box used for keeping money or valuables safe.
- Synonym: strongbox
- (architecture) An ornamental sunken panel in a ceiling or dome.
- Synonym: caisson
- 1979, Cormac McCarthy, Suttree, Random House, p.135:
- Prolapsed and waterstained ceiling, the sagging coffers.
- A cofferdam.
- A supply or store of money, often belonging to an organization.
- Francis Bacon (Can we date this quote?)
- He would discharge it without any burden to the queen's coffers.
- Shakespeare (Can we date this quote?)
- Hold, here is half my coffer.
- 1909, John Claude White, Sikhim and Bhutan, page 26:
- The coffers were empty, and the first thing to be done was to devise some means by which we could raise a revenue.
- Francis Bacon (Can we date this quote?)
- A trench dug in the bottom of a dry moat, and extending across it, to enable the besieged to defend it with raking fire.
Derived terms
Translations
strongbox
|
architecture: ornamental sunken panel
|
cofferdam — see cofferdam
supply or store of money
Verb
coffer (third-person singular simple present coffers, present participle coffering, simple past and past participle coffered)
- (transitive) To put money or valuables in a coffer
- (transitive) To decorate something, especially a ceiling, with coffers.
Further reading
- coffer on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- “coffer”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “coffer”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “coffer”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.