A 'pressing' question

A comment on another blog post here reminded me of this quirky little question.

 

As a youngster I was reared calling cupboards 'presses', and always considered it the norm.  Mugs were stored in the kitchen press, ironed clothing and towels were stored in the hot-press, medication in the medicine-press, or even medicine chest.  "Cupboards", however, was a word only ever used by snobs and would-be-snobs.  However on moving country and coming into contact with native English speakers from other parts of the world I discovered the folly of assuming anything, particularly about presses.  It seems that press is reserved for ironing and flattening duties for all you other anglophones out there.

 

So my question to you is this:  Do you call a cupboard a 'cupboard', a 'press' or either interchangeably?

 

*smile*

posted by Santana2002 at May 18 06, 4:54 AM 5 comments

5 Comments:

  • Never heard of calling a cupboard a "press" - over here, anyway. Cupboards are just that, or occasionally cabinets, that latter which is also an assembly of politicians near to the President. As for "press"? As a verb it means to steer an iron, as a noun it means the whole works when it comes to the published word, including printing presses and freedom of the press, etc. You can also 'press a button', meaning to push it or 'press for an answer', meaning to figuratively pull it out of a person. Whew. Imagine it? I learned this outrageous language at several months old! Luckily, at the time, I had no idea what the word "illogical" meant. Good thing!

    By Gatsby722, May 18 06 5:17 AM


  • Only Press I know is when you iron clothes, press buttons. But there is also a press, when you press flowers - two wooden blocks. Interesting!

    By JaneMarple, May 18 06 5:59 AM


  • Yeah, never heard of press as cupboard. Cupboard is actually an old-fashioned word, though. Your grandparents would use it more than you. Cabinet is much more common, or closet (for stuff that's not food), or pantry(for food).

    By luvtheheaven, May 18 06 9:50 PM


  • A closet is another word which I would feel awkward using, as it's a word I usually only come across in the written world. I don't think any single living person has ever used that particular word when talking to me. A cabinet is a word I would use to describe a cupboard containing items on display. My grandmother had a china cabinet, where her best china was stored. Stores have display cabinets with jewellery and other items of value on show, but under lock and key. Isn't it odd how words in common usage in one part of the English-speaking world are so uncommon in another equally English-speaking part of the world?

    By Santana2002, May 22 06 9:22 AM


  • A Cupboard is a cupboard lah!Common Sense tells you.

    By AbyssPSLE, Jul 30 06 4:44 AM