- the top part of the front of the body, between the neck and the stomach
- chest pains
- She gasped for breath, her chest heaving.
- He folded his arms across his chest
- a chest infection
- in the chest symptoms such as wheezing or a tightness in the chest
- The bullet hit him in the chest.
- a hairy chest
- a gorilla beating his chest
- She pulled her knees to her chest, and hugged them tight.
Collocations Physical appearancePhysical appearance- A person may be described as having:
- (bright) blue/green/(dark/light) brown/hazel eyes
- deep-set/sunken/bulging/protruding eyes
- small/beady/sparkling/twinkling/(informal) shifty eyes
- piercing/penetrating/steely eyes
- bloodshot/watery/puffy eyes
- bushy/thick/dark/arched eyebrows
- long/dark/thick/curly/false eyelashes/lashes
- a flat/bulbous/pointed/sharp/snub nose
- a straight/crooked/a Roman/(formal) an aquiline nose
- full/thick/thin/pouty lips
- dry/chapped/cracked lips
- flushed/rosy/red/ruddy/pale cheeks
- soft/chubby/sunken cheeks
- white/perfect/crooked/protruding teeth
- a large/high/broad/wide/sloping forehead
- a strong/weak/pointed/double chin
- a long/full/bushy/wispy/goatee beard
- a long/thin/bushy/droopy/handlebar/pencil moustache
- pale/fair/olive/dark/tanned skin
- dry/oily/smooth/rough/leathery/wrinkled skin
- a dark/pale/light/sallow/ruddy/olive/swarthy/clear complexion
- deep/fine/little/facial wrinkles
- blonde/blond/fair/(light/dark) brown/(jet-)black/auburn/red/(British English) ginger/grey hair
- straight/curly/wavy/frizzy/spiky hair
- thick/thin/fine/bushy/thinning hair
- dyed/bleached/soft/silky/dry/greasy/shiny hair
- long/short/shoulder-length/cropped hair
- a bald/balding/shaved head
- a receding hairline
- a bald patch/spot
- a side/centre(British English) parting
- a long/short/thick/slender/(disapproving) scrawny neck
- broad/narrow/sloping/rounded/hunched shoulders
- a bare/broad/muscular/small/large chest
- a flat/swollen/bulging stomach
- a small/tiny/narrow/slim/slender/28-inch waist
- big/wide/narrow/slim hips
- a straight/bent/arched/broad/hairy back
- thin/slender/muscular arms
- big/large/small/manicured/calloused/gloved hands
- long/short/fat/slender/delicate/bony fingers
- long/muscular/hairy/shapely/(both informal, often disapproving) skinny/spindly legs
- muscular/chubby/(informal, disapproving) flabby thighs
- big/little/small/dainty/wide/narrow/bare feet
- a good/slim/slender figure
- be of slim/medium/average/large/athletic/stocky build
Extra ExamplesTopics Bodyb1- ‘You've got to have courage,' he said, thumping his chest.
- Clutching her chest in agony, she fell to the ground.
- He puffed out his chest proudly.
- She suffered burns to the chest and neck.
- My chest tightened with fear.
- His chest puffed out with indignation at the suggestion.
- My chest swelled with pride as I accepted the award.
- She clutched her baby tightly to her chest.
- He ran until his chest ached.
- She was hit in the chest by two of the bullets.
- the hairs on his chest
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- barrel
- big
- broad
- …
- clutch
- clutch at
- beat
- …
- expand
- heave
- rise and fall
- …
- discomfort
- pain
- tightness
- …
- in the/your chest
- on the/your chest
- to the/your chest
- …
Definitions on the go
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- -chested(in adjectives) having the type of chest mentioned
- flat-chested
- broad-chested
More Like This Compound adjectives for physical characteristicsCompound adjectives for physical characteristics - a large strong box, usually made of wood, used for storing things in and/or moving them from one place to another
- a medicine chest
- a treasure chest
Extra ExamplesTopics Houses and homesc1- The documents were kept in an ancient oak chest with a brass lock.
- a pirate's treasure chest
Word OriginOld English cest, cyst, related to Dutch kist and German Kiste, based on Greek kistē ‘box’.
Idioms
See chest in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee chest in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishget something off your chest
- to talk about something that has been worrying you for a long time so that you feel less anxious
- Why not tell her how you feel? It might do you good to get it off your chest.
hold/keep/play your cards close to your chest
- to keep your ideas, plans, etc. secret
Check pronunciation:
chest