# Hassock or Ottoman? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 26, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934 "2010-03-26T20:17:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/1 "2010-03-26T20:17:35Z")
What do you usually call [this](http://www.thefurniture.com/store/Images/Global/546-0185-ottoman.jpg) object? Inspired by the following conversation I once had with an old roommate as we were moving out of our shared house: Me- “Can I have the hassock?” Friend- “What’s a hassock?” M- “This thing.” F- “You mean the ottoman?” M- “What’s an ottoman?” ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/2 "2010-03-26T20:24:32Z")
Other: footrest. “Hassock” and “Ottoman” make me think of tribes from western Asia. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/3 "2010-03-26T20:25:01Z")
Footstool ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/4 "2010-03-26T20:26:06Z")
One puts the ottoman in front of the couch or sofa. No hassocks or Chesterfields or davenports, please. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/5 "2010-03-26T20:26:11Z")
I’d probably call it a foot stool, even though it’s large-ish. Husband says ottoman. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/6 "2010-03-26T20:28:56Z")
Hmm. I’ve always thought of a footstool to be something like [this](http://www.finewoodworking.com/assets/uploads/posts/2038/sturdy-footstool1_lg.jpg), and you stand on it as opposed to put your feet up on it. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/7 "2010-03-26T20:29:04Z")
A hassock is a cushioned soft ottoman, usually round. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/8 "2010-03-26T20:33:24Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Other: footrest. > > “Hassock” and “Ottoman” make me think of tribes from western Asia. The Ottoman Empire brings to mind people worshipping footstools and hordes of footstools in siege against a fortified town. “We won’t rest until you’re all at our feet! . . .oh wait. . .” ---
**Author:** ![RainGrowsBrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RainGrowsBrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainGrowsBrite)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/9 "2010-03-26T20:41:41Z")
Ottoman. Never heard of a Hassock. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/10 "2010-03-26T20:45:22Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Hmm. I’ve always thought of a footstool to be something like [this](http://www.finewoodworking.com/assets/uploads/posts/2038/sturdy-footstool1_lg.jpg), and you stand on it as opposed to put your feet up on it. Interesting. That’s what I’d call a footstool as well. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/11 "2010-03-26T20:57:41Z")
Hassock must be a regional name for a footstool. I’ve only heard the term Ottoman. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/12 "2010-03-26T22:40:42Z")
I would have said Ottoman ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/13 "2010-03-26T23:12:04Z")
Foot stool I used to say davenport for sofa too. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/14 "2010-03-26T23:19:13Z")
Ottoman, only place I’ve heard hassock is novels set in Victorian England. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/15 "2010-03-27T00:05:01Z")
Footstool > [@DCnDC](#): > > Hmm. I’ve always thought of a footstool to be something like [this](http://www.finewoodworking.com/assets/uploads/posts/2038/sturdy-footstool1_lg.jpg), and you stand on it as opposed to put your feet up on it. Interesting. That’s a stepstool. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/16 "2010-03-27T00:23:09Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > Footstool > That’s a stepstool. And [this](http://www.acclaimimages.com/_gallery/_pages/0121-0601-2702-1806.html) is a no-step stool. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/17 "2010-03-27T01:38:32Z")
I call something large enough that one might sit upon or use as a small table an ottoman. A smaller version, which can only accommodate a pair of feet or a very dainty butt, is a hassock. To qualify as a footstool, it has to have exposed wooden legs and is about half the height of a hassock or ottoman. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/18 "2010-03-27T01:45:21Z")
Footstool. “Hassock” and “Ottoman” sounds like what elderly people in the Midwest would call it; the same kind of people who still use words like “oleo” and “icebox”. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/19 "2010-03-27T01:57:33Z")
Both or either. I have a large vocabulary. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934/20 "2010-03-27T02:19:30Z")
I like the sound of Ottoman. Plus, that’s what it’s called in the image link. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hassock-or-ottoman/533934.md?page=2)