drawer

back in the knife drawer, Miss Sharp

A response to a particularly snarky or cutting retort. A: "That's a hideous vintage number. I wonder how long it took her to dust the cobwebs off that dress. " B: "Ouch, back in the knife drawer, Miss Sharp!"
See also: back, knife, miss, sharp

bottom drawer

A young woman's collection of household items to use in her home after marriage. Primarily heard in UK. Sarah collected linens and sheets for her bottom drawer in anticipation of her new life as a married woman.
See also: bottom, drawer

droopy drawers

Pants sagging below the waistline. Can also be used as a term of address for someone experiencing this. I forgot to pack my belt, so I've got a serious case of droopy drawers today. Hey, droopy drawers! Pull up your pants before the headmaster sees you!
See also: drawer, droopy

drop (one's) drawers

To remove one's pants or underwear. I was so muddy after working in the garden that I dropped my drawers as soon as I got into the house.
See also: drawer, drop

from the top drawer

From an elite social class. If she's from the top drawer, then why would she waste her time with a pauper like you?
See also: drawer, top

hewers of wood and drawers of water

Those who are used solely for manual labor or menial tasks at the behest of others. An allusion to a passage in the Bible (Joshua 9:21), in which the Gibeonites were condemned to servitude under the Israelites. This scholarship intends to show that, given the right tools and opportunities, the people in this region are destined to become more than hewers of wood and drawers of water. Under the dictatorship, members of the religious minority were not allowed to be anything but hewers of wood and drawers of water to the ruling class.
See also: and, drawer, of, water, wood

not the sharpest knife in the drawer

Not intelligent; dim-witted or prone to stupidity. His new boyfriend isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he's pretty good looking! I wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer in school, but I still managed to find a profession I loved.
See also: drawer, knife, not, sharp

out of the top drawer

From an elite social class. If she's out of the top drawer, then why would she waste her time with a pauper like you?
See also: drawer, of, out, top

top drawer

Of or having the highest quality, skill, value, importance, or rank. Hyphenated if used before a noun. That performance from Bueler in the last round really was top drawer. Ever since he got that promotion, Tom's taken to drinking only top-drawer liquor when we go out.
See also: drawer, top
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

drop one's drawers

to lower one's pant or underpants. The boys dropped their drawers and jumped in the creek.
See also: drawer, drop
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

top drawer

Of the highest quality, importance, or rank, as in The musicians in this pick-up orchestra were top drawer. It probably alludes to the uppermost drawer in a bureau or chest, where the most valuable objects (such as jewelry) are usually kept. [c. 1900]
See also: drawer, top
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

out of the top drawer

or

from the top drawer

mainly BRITISH
COMMON
1. If someone or something is out of the top drawer or from the top drawer, they are of very high quality. The player I am looking for will be right out of the top drawer. Castleford produced a performance right out of the top drawer to thrash Wigan 33-2. Note: You can also use top-drawer on its own to describe someone or something is of a very high quality. The Grange Hotel may be top drawer, but it's not pretentious. The dramatisation is superbly played by a top-drawer cast.
2. If someone is out of the top drawer or from the top drawer, they come from a very high social class. His companion came from right out of the top drawer of the Irish landed gentry.
See also: drawer, of, out, top
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

bottom drawer

the collection of linen, clothes, and household items assembled by a woman in preparation for her marriage.
The bottom drawer was the traditional place for storing such articles. The US equivalent is hope chest .
See also: bottom, drawer

hewers of wood and drawers of water

menial drudges; labourers.
This expression refers to Joshua 9:21, which tells the story of how the Israelites were tricked into sparing the lives of some of the indigenous inhabitants of the Promised Land: ‘And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation’.
See also: and, drawer, of, water, wood
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

not the sharpest knife in the ˈdrawer

(also not the sharpest tool in the ˈbox) (humorous) not intelligent: I know he’s good-looking, but he’s not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, is he? OPPOSITE: a/one smart cookie
See also: drawer, knife, not, sharp
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

droopy-drawers

n. someone—usually a child—whose pants are falling down. (Also a term of address.) Hey, droopy-drawers, pull up your pants.

top-drawer

mod. top-quality. I want to hire a young MBA who’s top-drawer.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

top drawer

Of the highest quality or rank. The term alludes to the uppermost drawer of a bureau or dresser, where jewelry and other valuables often are kept. It was transferred to mean high social standing or first quality about 1900. It is the former that Ngaio Marsh referred to in Colour Scheme (1943): “He’s not out of the top drawer, of course.”The cliché may now be obsolescent.
See also: drawer, top
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

top drawer

Highest quality. The 19th-century practice of keeping jewelry and other valuables in the highest drawer of a bedroom dresser gave rise to this phrase, which was applied both to people and to things. “First rate” is a similar phrase, as is “varsity,” meaning a person figuratively sufficiently admirable to qualify for the starting team.
See also: drawer, top
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • back in the knife drawer, Miss Sharp
  • zinger
  • I've had enough of this
  • I've had enough of this!
  • bite back
  • ask a silly/stupid question (and you'll get a silly/stupid answer)
  • stinger
  • I'm rubber, you're glue
  • staircase wit
References in periodicals archive
Every time we move, I am convinced that, this time, we will be sufficiently organized to avoid creating a junk drawer. Somehow, we'll actually live by that old maxim, "A place for everything and everything in its place." OK, as you've probably guessed, it hasn't happened yet.
The Junk Drawers and Bank Vaults of Enterprise Content Management
"He must have been doing it while he's in his room watching his tablet, which is also on the drawer, and can't be bothered to go to the toilet, so he opened the drawer and was peeing in there."
Mum makes stomach-churning discovery in toddler's 'secret drawer' after noticing awful smell; Like most people caught out, little Freddie then tried to blame it on the dog
SIMPLE and elegant this one drawer nightstand would make a great addition to any bedroom.
Home COMFORTS
Lockdowel had a record number of AWFS attendees visiting their booth this year to see their new line of invisible EClips fasteners, drill-less Delta Clips and an array of click-together drawer slides.
Lockdowel Wins 2017 AWFS Visionary Award with New Screw-less EClips Drawer Slide
You can either hang the drawer or just let it stand on a table or mantle.
Display your collectibles on repurposed shelves
3 While you're waiting for the drawer fronts to dry, cover the front of the wooden star in a thin layer of PVA glue and then sprinkle over the gold glitter.
OR WHY NOT decorate a pre-made calendar, such as this Wooden Tree Advent Calendar, PS15, from Hobbycraft
Position the drawer bottom in the dado with the drawer box set loosely on top.
Shallow drawer chest: perfect for tools, jewelry or crafts
The reason is that undermount slides offer reduced side clearance between the drawer box and end panel, notes Tim Peters, sales manager at CompX Timberline.
Locking into a new niche
Lautrec 2+2 metal drawer chest PS239, Very, www.Very.co.uk FROM Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen's Glametal collection, its has a classically shaped timber frame with metal fronted drawers.
Use your mettle and add some industrial chic with one of this season's trendiest inclusions - a steel-accented drawer unit
H85 x W108 x D45cm H85 x W108 x D45cm Use your mettle and add some industrial chic with one of this season's trendiest inclusions - a steel-accented drawer unit Use your mettle and add some industrial chic with one of this season's trendiest inclusions - a steel-accented drawer unit
SCRIMP
Witmer Wood Products offers dovetail drawer boxes shipped in seven working days or less, in 1/2 in., 5/8 in.
Components for cabinetry: opportunities open for cabinet doors, drawers and other components
is taking advantage of the strong recognition of the Hefty brand to add new products in the drawer cart business.
HMS MFG
The new Neo self-cleaning drawer magnet from Bunting Magnetics, Newton, Kan., features easy of cleaning that requires no component removal.
Easy-to-clean drawer magnet
What we used: Rustoleum all-surface black satin paint, 250ml, pounds 9.98 B&Q (www.diy.com), antique gold acrylic paint, 59ml, pounds 1.49 (www.hobbycraft.co.uk), 6 x brass ring pull drawer handles, pounds 1.65 each (try eBay).
chest of DIY drawers 13 ideas; Give new furniture an old look for less than pounds 50
What we used: Rustoleum all-surface paint in black satin, 250ml, pounds 9.98 B&Q (www.diy.com, 0845 609 6688), acrylic paint in antique gold, 59ml, pounds 1.49 (www.hobbycraft.co.uk, 0800 027 2387), 6 x brass ring pull drawer handles, pounds 1.65 each (try eBay).
1 chest of drawers.. 3 DIY IDEAS; Give new furniture an old look for under pounds 50