kist, noun

Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more South African Dutch, from Dutch.
A chest or coffer, used usually for storing clothes and linen. Also attributive, transferred sense, and figurative. See also wakis.
Note:
Found also in Scottish and northern English dialects as a result of Scandinavian influence.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. II. 293It is hoped..that the few public establishments which have been lately formed in the colony will..draw the idle and unproductive capital from its slumbers in their kists, into active use in public improvements.
1927 C.G. Botha Social Life in Cape Col. 52A large brass-bound kist or chest upon heavy carved feet, from the Indies, was the general receptacle for the best clothes of the family.
1930 Outspan 25 July 63Anna climbed once more to the loft and she took out all the neatly folded things from the kist.
1946 S. Cloete Afr. Portraits 34In each there would be a kist — a chest of fine hardwood with beautifully ornamented brass locks and hinges in which the Boers kept their best clothes.
1952 G.M. Mills First Ladies of Cape 25The elegance and workmanship of the locks and the silver work decorating the massive kists and camphor boxes.
1965 M.G. Atmore Cape Furn. 215The Cape kists were directly descended from these 17th Century Dutch chests and the earliest are indistinguishable from them.
1980 M. Matshoba in M. Mutloatse Forced Landing 117You sleep..on the door-like lid of a brick kist in which you are supposed to keep your belongings.
1985 S. Afr. Panorama Feb. 14The Nourse, Geldenhuys, Jumpers and Meyer-and-Charlton mines were once dubbed ‘the jewel kist (chest) of the Witwaterstrand.’
1991 D. Galloway in Weekend Argus 26 Jan. 18Most of the old Cape furniture, from beds and dressers to kists and riempie chairs, was collected from second-hand shops and homes.
1993 House & Leisure Nov. 75The Oregon and yellowwood kist at the foot of the brass bed.
A chest or coffer, used usually for storing clothes and linen. Also attributive, transferred sense, and figurative.
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18381993