whatnot

whatnot
/hwut"not', hwot"-, wut"-, wot"-/, n.
1. a stand with shelves for bric-a-brac, books, etc.
2. something or anything of the same or similar kind: sheets, pillowcases, towels, napkins, and whatnot.
[1530-40; from the phrase what not?]

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      series of open shelves supported by two or four upright posts. The passion for collecting and displaying ornamental objects that began in the 18th century and was widespread in the 19th stimulated the production in England and the United States of this whimsically named piece of furniture. The French version was called the étagère. Some examples contain drawers at the base; others have three sides of the upper shelf surmounted with an ornamental board.

      The early versions, which appeared toward the end of the 18th century, were light and elegant in design, but as time went by the whatnot lent itself to extravagances of ornament, with a wealth of fretwork and spirally twisted supports. Additional variations were the division of the lowest shelf into compartments and the production of triangular versions for fitting into corners.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Whatnot — What not, n. [See the Note under {What}, pron., 5.] A kind of stand, or piece of furniture, having shelves for books, ornaments, etc.; an [ e]tag[ e]re. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • whatnot — 1530s, anything, from WHAT (Cf. what) + NOT (Cf. not). As the name of a furniture item, first attested 1808, so named for the objects it is meant to hold …   Etymology dictionary

  • whatnot — ► NOUN informal ▪ used to refer to an unidentified item or items having something in common with items already named …   English terms dictionary

  • whatnot — [hwut′nät΄, wut′nät΄] n. 1. a nondescript or indescribable thing or, sometimes, person 2. a set of open shelves, as for bric a brac …   English World dictionary

  • whatnot — [[t](h)wɒ̱tnɒt[/t]] PHRASE: cl/group PHR (vagueness) People sometimes say and whatnot or or whatnot after mentioning one or more things, to refer in a vague way to other things which are similar. [INFORMAL, SPOKEN] The women were there in their… …   English dictionary

  • whatnot — UK [ˈwɒtnɒt] / US [ˈwɑtˌnɑt] / US [ˈhwɑtˌnɑt] noun [uncountable] Word forms whatnot : singular whatnot plural whatnots informal other similar things She has to deal with the various taxes and whatnot …   English dictionary

  • whatnot — noun a) A small unspecified object; bric a brac (in plural) At the lexicography club, we welcome all discussion of words and whatnot. b) Other related objects or ideas. All of the cakes and whatnot have been laid out, ready for the childrens …   Wiktionary

  • whatnot — what|not [ˈwɔtnɔt US ˈwa:tna:t, ˈwʌt ] n [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: what not?] and whatnot spoken an expression used at the end of a list of things when you do not want to give the names of everything ▪ Put your bags, cases and whatnot in the back …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • whatnot — noun 1 and whatnot spoken an expression used at the end of a list of things when you do not want to give the names of everything: Put your bags, cases and whatnot in the back of the car. 2 (C) a piece of furniture with shelves used especially in… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • whatnot — I. pronoun Etymology: what not? Date: 1540 any of various other things that might also be mentioned < paper clips, pins, and whatnot > II. noun Date: 1602 1. a nondescript person or thing 2. a light open set of shelves for bric a brac …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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