The chest is the upper front part of your body between your neck and stomach, where your ribs protect your heart and lungs. When you take a deep breath, your chest rises and expands. When a doctor listens to your breathing with a stethoscope, she places it on your chest. Athletes who finish a hard race often put their hands on their chests, feeling their hearts pound after the effort.

The word also means a large, sturdy box used for storing things. Pirates in stories famously buried treasure chests filled with gold coins and jewels. Families might keep blankets in a cedar chest, which is a wooden box that smells pleasant and keeps moths away. These storage chests often have hinged lids and can be locked, making them perfect for protecting valuable or important items. A chest of drawers is a piece of furniture with several sliding compartments stacked vertically.

When someone speaks proudly about an accomplishment, people might say they're beating their chest like a gorilla showing its strength. The phrase getting something off your chest means finally telling someone about a problem or worry you've been holding inside, which can feel like lifting a weight off your chest.