chairful

English

Etymology 1

From chair +‎ -ful.

Noun

chairful (plural chairfuls or chairsful)

1. A person (of a particular quality) that sits in a chair.
   • 1886 October 21, John Habberton, “Tom Meredith’s Tableaux”, in The Youth’s Companion, volume LIX, number 42, Boston, Mass.: Perry Mason & Co., page 394:

     Then came a mixed party, that increased the audience to twelve chairsful, and in the few moments that followed there was such a steady procession of boys and girls, that Tom literally had his hands full.

   • 1929, Munsey's Magazine - Volume 96, page 436:

     There will be no chairful of girlishness reading Bertha M. Clay, nor a rockerful of grandma knitting, nor a stoolful of big sister strumming " Forgotten."

   • 1968, Briton Hadden, Time - Volume 91, page 149:

     Whether you're talking to a chairful, a roomful or a nation full of people, the principles of human communication are the same.

   • 1977, Maurice Samuel, The Worlds of Maurice Samuel: Selected Writings, page 222:

     Bialik pointed at him and murmured in my ear: "A chairful of Jew."

   • 1981, Aldon J. Hilton, Winning the dental insurance game: operations manual, page 110:

     If you practice in an exclusive area and have chairfuls of well-healed clients, this axiom probably does not apply.

   • 2014, Alice Clayton, Rusty Nailed, →ISBN, page 90:

     A chairful of hot blonde had taken up residence, and over her giggles and squeals, Neil made sure to catch Sophia's eye.

2. A quantity that fills a chair.
   • 1936, Florence Robertson Cameron, Told in Furthest Hebrides:

     Garth, the collie, lay between them before the fire, his amber eyes only half-closed, except when in dreams he fought again his old battles ; and a chairful of cats and kittens slumbered peacefully.

   • 1942, William Edward Cox, Southern Sidelights, page 37:

     My mother carded her own rolls and laid them across a chair till they piled up almost to the top of the chair-back, then put cards aside and spun the whole chairful of rolls.

   • 1969, House and Garden - Volume 136, page 180:

     Every home should have at least one corner that's all his . . . with a big, brawny chairful of solid comfort waiting just for him.

   • 2000, Leon Garfield, Jack Holborn, →ISBN, page 195:

     When we got back to Dover Street, pacing the chairful of presents, that letter was awaiting us.

Etymology 2

From chair +‎ -ful.

Adjective

chairful (comparative more chairful, superlative most chairful)

1. Chairlike or involving chairs.
   • 1965, The Hospital and Health Services Review - Volume 61, page xv:

     "Good seating is essential to good health" said Doctor ERCOLion. "And for every seating eventuality Ercol have an effective prescription of the utmost chairful charm.

   • 1972, To-day - Volumes 5-7, page 15:

     The most chairful of chairs are to be found in the smoking-rooms of clubs.

   • 1989, The World: Journal of the Unitarian Universalist Association:

     The "chairful” event took place in September.

   • 1993, Arts - Volumes 16-17, page 11:

     So plan on doing your own twisting and shouting at the "chair"ful event.

2. Pronunciation spelling of cheerful.
   • 1873, Theodore Edward Hook, The Choice Humorous Works of Theodore Hook, page 107:

     ...and they are in sich order that he has only to talk of the lock and the key to subdoo e'm in a minuet—poor creturs, them as I seed where chairful, and not one of them was wiping, they had plenty of vitals, and spoke of the Coloony as a nice place, and called the Guvenor a Darling—but it seems wretched work...

   • 1929, Eugène Jolas, Transition: An International Workshop for Orphic Creation:

     Ah, go on now Masta Bones, with your impendements and your parrotricks ! Blank memory of darky in blued suit. You were ever the gentle poet. Be nice about it ! Look chairful !