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Definition of bureau noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

bureau

noun
 
/ˈbjʊərəʊ/
 
/ˈbjʊrəʊ/
(plural bureaux
 
/ˈbjʊərəʊz/
 
/ˈbjʊrəʊz/
, bureaus)
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  1. (British English) a desk with drawers and usually a top that opens down to make a table to write on
    • I came across the paperwork in an old bureau of hers.
    Topics Houses and homesc2
  2. (also dresser)
    (both North American English)
    (also chest of drawers British and North American English)
    a piece of furniture with drawers (= parts like boxes built into it with handles on the front for pulling them out) for keeping clothes in
  3. an office or organization that provides information on a particular subject
    • She works for an employment bureau.
    • a convention bureau (= an office that provides information and services for people organizing conferences)
    • (especially North American English) a visitor’s bureau (= an office that provides information for tourists)
    see also credit bureau
    Extra Examples
    • She had a friend in the press bureau.
    • The bureau handles millions of requests each year.
    • It's the only international broadcaster with a permanent bureau in the country.
    Topics Holidaysc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • federal
    • government
    • census
    verb + bureau
    • contact
    • go to
    • establish
    bureau + verb
    • handle something
    bureau + noun
    • staff
    • chief
    preposition
    • at a/​the bureau
    • in a/​the bureau
    • bureau of
    See full entry
  4. (in the US) a government department or part of a government department
    • the Federal Bureau of Investigation
    • the US Bureau of Prisons
    Topics Politicsc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • federal
    • government
    • census
    verb + bureau
    • contact
    • go to
    • establish
    bureau + verb
    • handle something
    bureau + noun
    • staff
    • chief
    preposition
    • at a/​the bureau
    • in a/​the bureau
    • bureau of
    See full entry
  5. Word Originlate 17th cent.: from French, originally ‘baize’ (used to cover writing desks), from Old French burel, probably from bure ‘dark brown’, based on Greek purros ‘red’.
See bureau in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
influence
verb
 
 
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