coffer

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: cof=fer

CIDE DICTIONARY

coffer, n. [OF. cofre, F. coffre, L. cophinus basket, fr. Gr. . Cf. Coffin, n.].

•  A casket, chest, or trunk; especially, one used for keeping money or other valuables.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

  "In ivory coffers I have stuffed my crowns."  [1913 Webster]
•  Fig.: Treasure or funds; -- usually in the plural.  [1913 Webster]

  "He would discharge it without any burden to the queen's coffers, for honor sake."  [1913 Webster]

  "Hold, here is half my coffer."  [1913 Webster]
•  A panel deeply recessed in the ceiling of a vault, dome, or portico; a caisson.  [1913 Webster]
•  A trench dug in the bottom of a dry moat, and extending across it, to enable the besieged to defend it by a raking fire.  [1913 Webster]
•  The chamber of a canal lock; also, a caisson or a cofferdam.  [1913 Webster]

Coffer dam. (Engin.) See Cofferdam, in the Vocabulary. -- Coffer fish. (Zoöl.) See Cowfish.

coffer, v. t. 

•  To put into a coffer.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]
•  To secure from leaking, as a shaft, by ramming clay behind the masonry or timbering.  Raymond.  [1913 Webster]
•  To form with or in a coffer or coffers; to furnish with a coffer or coffers.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

coffer, n.
1 a box, esp. a large strongbox for valuables.
2 (in pl.) a treasury or store of funds.
3 a sunken panel in a ceiling etc.

Idiom

coffer-dam a watertight enclosure pumped dry to permit work below the waterline on building bridges etc., or for repairing a ship.

Derivative

coffered adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF coffre f. L cophinus f. Gk kophinos basket

THESAURUS

coffer

Fort Knox, bank, bundle away, bursary, cache, cash register, cashbox, chest, coin box, deposit, depository, exchequer, file, fisc, gold depository, hutch, lay away, lay down, lay in, lay in store, locker, lodge, money chest, pack away, penny bank, piggy bank, pork barrel, public crib, public till, public treasury, public trough, put away, reposit, repository, reservoir, safe, safe-deposit box, salt away, salt down, stash, store, store away, storehouse, stow, stow away, stow down, strong room, strongbox, subtreasury, till, treasure-house, treasury, vault, warehouse

ROGET THESAURUS

coffer

Store

N store, stock, fund, mine, vein, lode, quarry, spring, fount, fountain, well, wellspring, milch cow, stock in trade, supply, heap, treasure, reserve, corps de reserve, reserved fund, nest egg, savings, bonne bouche, crop, harvest, mow, vintage, store, accumulation, hoard, rick, stack, lumber, relay, storehouse, storeroom, storecloset, depository, depot, cache, repository, reservatory, repertory, repertorium, promptuary, warehouse, entrepot, magazine, buttery, larder, spence, garner, granary, cannery, safe-deposit vault, stillroom, thesaurus, bank, armory, arsenal, dock, gallery, museum, conservatory, menagery, menagerie, reservoir, cistern, aljibar, tank, pond, mill pond, gasometer, budget, quiver, bandolier, portfolio, coffer, conservation, storing, storage, keep, file (papers), lay in, preserve, Adj, stored, in store, in reserve, in ordinary, spare, supernumerary, adde parvum parvo magnus acervus erit.

Treasury

N treasury, bank, exchequer, fisc, hanaper, cash register, kutcherry, bursary, strong box, strong hold, strong room, coffer, chest, safe, bank vault, depository, till, tiller, purse, money bag, money box, porte-monnaie, purse strings, pocket, breeches pocket, sinking fund, stocks, public stocks, public funds, public securities, parliamentary stocks, parliamentary funds, parliamentary securities, Consols, credit mobilier, bonds.

Receptacle

N receptacle, inclosure, recipient, receiver, reservatory, compartment, cell, cellule, follicle, hole, corner, niche, recess, nook, crypt, stall, pigeonhole, cove, oriel, cave, capsule, vesicle, cyst, pod, calyx, cancelli, utricle, bladder, pericarp, udder, stomach, paunch, venter, ventricle, crop, craw, maw, gizzard, breadbasket, mouth, pocket, pouch, fob, sheath, scabbard, socket, bag, sac, sack, saccule, wallet, cardcase, scrip, poke, knit, knapsack, haversack, sachel, satchel, reticule, budget, net, ditty bag, ditty box, housewife, hussif, saddlebags, portfolio, quiver, chest, box, coffer, caddy, case, casket, pyx, pix, caisson, desk, bureau, reliquary, trunk, portmanteau, band-box, valise, grip, grip sack, skippet, vasculum, boot, imperial, vache, cage, manger, rack, vessel, vase, bushel, barrel, canister, jar, pottle, basket, pannier, buck-basket, hopper, maund, creel, cran, crate, cradle, bassinet, wisket, whisket, jardiniere, corbeille, hamper, dosser, dorser, tray, hod, scuttle, utensil, brazier, cuspidor, spittoon, cistern, vat, caldron, barrel, cask, drum, puncheon, keg, rundlet, tun, butt, cag, firkin, kilderkin, carboy, amphora, bottle, jar, decanter, ewer, cruse, caraffe, crock, kit, canteen, flagon, demijohn, flask, flasket, stoup, noggin, vial, phial, cruet, caster, urn, epergne, salver, patella, tazza, patera, pig gin, big gin, tyg, nipperkin, pocket pistol, tub, bucket, pail, skeel, pot, tankard, jug, pitcher, mug, pipkin, galipot, gallipot, matrass, receiver, retort, alembic, bolthead, capsule, can, kettle, bowl, basin, jorum, punch bowl, cup, goblet, chalice, tumbler, glass, rummer, horn, saucepan, skillet, posnet, tureen, beaker, flask, Erlenmeyer flask, Florence flask, round-bottom flask, graduated cylinder, test tube, culture tube, pipette, Pasteur pipette, disposable pipette, syringe, vial, carboy, vacuum flask, Petri dish, microtiter tray, centrifuge tube, bail, beaker, billy, canakin, catch basin, catch drain, chatti, lota, mussuk, schooner, spider, terrine, toby, urceus, plate, platter, dish, trencher, calabash, porringer, potager, saucer, pan, crucible, glassware, tableware, vitrics, compote, gravy boat, creamer, sugar bowl, butter dish, mug, pitcher, punch bowl, chafing dish, shovel, trowel, spoon, spatula, ladle, dipper, tablespoon, watch glass, thimble, closet, commode, cupboard, cellaret, chiffonniere, locker, bin, bunker, buffet, press, clothespress, safe, sideboard, drawer, chest of drawers, chest on chest, highboy, lowboy, till, scrutoire, secretary, secretaire, davenport, bookcase, cabinet, canterbury, escritoire, etagere, vargueno, vitrine, chamber, apartment, room, cabin, office, court, hall, atrium, suite of rooms, apartment, flat, story, saloon, salon, parlor, by-room, cubicle, presence chamber, sitting room, best room, keeping room, drawing room, reception room, state room, gallery, cabinet, closet, pew, box, boudoir, adytum, sanctum, bedroom, dormitory, refectory, dining room, salle-a-manger, nursery, schoolroom, library, study, studio, billiard room, smoking room, den, stateroom, tablinum, tenement, bath room, bathroom, toilet, lavatory, powder room, john, jakes, necessary, loo, men's room, ladies' room, rest room, (uncleanness), 653 attic, loft, garret, cockloft, clerestory, cellar, vault, hold, cockpit, cubbyhole, cook house, entre-sol, mezzanine floor, ground floor, rez-de-chaussee, basement, kitchen, pantry, bawarchi-khana, scullery, offices, storeroom, lumber room, dairy, laundry, coach house, garage, hangar, outhouse, penthouse, lean-to, portico, porch, stoop, stope, veranda, patio, lanai, terrace, deck, lobby, court, courtyard, hall, vestibule, corridor, passage, breezeway, ante room, ante chamber, lounge, piazza, veranda, conservatory, greenhouse, bower, arbor, summerhouse, alcove, grotto, hermitage, lodging, bed, carriage, capsular, saccular, sacculated, recipient, ventricular, cystic, vascular, vesicular, cellular, camerated, locular, multilocular, polygastric, marsupial, siliquose, siliquous.