toolbox

toolbox — noun

1. a box or container that holds the small hand tools you need for household repair

1.nounB1
Definition

a box or container that holds the small hand tools you need for household repairs, building projects, or car maintenance

Example

Jason stored his hammers and screwdrivers in a red plastic toolbox under the workbench.

collocation: store [tools] in a toolbox

When Devika got her new flat, her uncle gave her a toolbox full of tools.

collocation: toolbox filled with [tools]

Common collocations
  • put tools in a toolbox
  • keep a toolbox
  • carry a toolbox
  • a toolbox full of tools
  • a heavy toolbox
  • a plastic / metal / wooden toolbox
  • the lid of a toolbox
  • pack a toolbox
Synonyms
  • tool chest

    larger, often stationary container with multiple drawers, typically for a workshop

  • tool case

    emphasises portability with a handle or strap, often used for trade work

  • tool kit

    refers to the collection of tools rather than the container itself

Grammar Patterns

a toolbox

toolbox + of + tools

Usage Note

Frequently used figuratively to mean 'a set of skills or strategies available to someone', such as 'a teacher's toolbox of classroom techniques'.

Common Mistakes

❖ 'I bought a new toolbox with a hammer and nails inside.' ✅ 'I bought a new toolbox and put a hammer and nails inside it.' — a toolbox is the empty container; the tools inside are a separate set or kit.

❖ 'He left his toolbox in the garden shed.' (When referring to a large storage cabinet.) ✅ 'He left his toolbox on the workbench.' — toolbox usually describes a portable container, not a fixed cabinet.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Toolbox is the most general term for a portable container that holds hand tools for everyday repairs. A tool chest is larger, often made of wood or metal with multiple drawers, and stays in a workshop rather than being carried around. Tool kit shifts focus from the container to the contents — it refers to a packaged set of tools (e.g. a bicycle repair kit), and is often sold as a collection rather than as an empty box. Tool case overlaps with toolbox but suggests a more professional, often moulded-plastic container with custom slots, common among electricians and plumbers. For daily home use, toolbox is the natural choice; for a dedicated workshop, tool chest fits better; for a pre-packaged set you buy for a specific task, use tool kit.

toolbox ↗tool chesttool kittool case

Common collocations

Nouns

  • toolbox lid
  • toolbox drawer
  • toolbox handle

Phrases

  • pack a toolbox
  • organise a toolbox
  • rummage through a toolbox

Prepositions

  • in a toolbox
  • from a toolbox
  • out of a toolbox

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

A compound of 'tool' (from Old English 'tōl', meaning instrument or implement) and 'box' (from Old English 'box', a container). The word entered English in the late 17th century as people began storing specialised tools in dedicated containers rather than general baskets or sacks.