Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A box or receptacle for holding paper, as writing-paper, etc.
  • noun A paper-clamp or -clip.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • On the wall was a paper-holder made of cretonne with beads outlining the flowers.

    The Second Chance 1910

  • On the wall was a paper-holder made of cretonne with beads outlining the flowers.

    The Second Chance Nellie L. McClung 1912

  • An odd-looking paper-holder is just ready to tumble on the floor.

    Lights and Shadows of New York Life or, the Sights and Sensations of the Great City James Dabney McCabe 1862

  • Fancy a member of Parliament and an old English baronet, by gad! obliged to put a drawing-room clock and a Buhl inkstand up the spout; and a gold duck's head paper-holder, that I dare say cost my wife five pound, for which they'd only give me fifteen-and-six!

    The History of Pendennis, Volume 2 His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy William Makepeace Thackeray 1837

  • Fancy a Member of Parliament and an old English Baronet, by Gad! obliged to put a drawing-room clock and a buhl inkstand up the spout; and a gold duck's-head paper-holder, that I dare say cost my wife five pound, for which they'd only give me fifteen-and-six!

    The History of Pendennis William Makepeace Thackeray 1837

  • Easy as pie, looks neat, and is a great idea to make an envelope more useful than just a paper-holder.

    TreeHugger 2010

  • Easy as pie, looks neat, and is a great idea to make an envelope more useful than just a paper-holder.

    TreeHugger 2010

  • Fancy a Member of Parliament and an old English Baronet, by Gad! obliged to put a drawing-room clock and a buhl inkstand up the spout; and a gold duck’s-head paper-holder, that I dare say cost my wife five pound, for which they’d only give me fifteen-and-six!

    The History of Pendennis 2006

  • An unclear sense-development of this word is mapped out in the OED, but it seems to concede that the modern sense of lavatory originated at the start of this century: the (British) Army and Navy Stores catalogue of 1926 lists a lavatory paper-holder as one of its items, but it was probably earlier: The Illustrated London News reported in 1860 that each ward of the new Florence Nightingale School of Nursing had "its own bathroom, lavatories and closet."

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol XIX No 4 1993

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