# What were or are "paper suitcases"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2006, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036 "2006-06-09T07:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036/21 "2006-06-09T22:03:03Z")
[QUOTE=MLS] [nitpick]No. Unique means “one and only one.” The dinette set could have been \*quite \* unusual, or \*nearly \* unique, but it could not be \*quite \* unique or \*very \* unique. [/nitpick] [/QUOTE] [nitnitpick] Your definition of “quite” isn’t quite unique. 😉 “Quite” in one of its UK senses means “completely”. [/nnp] ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036/22 "2006-06-09T22:03:54Z")
[QUOTE=MLS] [nitpick]No. Unique means “one and only one.” The dinette set could have been \*quite \* unusual, or \*nearly \* unique, but it could not be \*quite \* unique or \*very \* unique. [/nitpick] [/QUOTE] Nitpick the nitpick, “quite unique” is proper usage. It may not apply to the dinette set described, but it isn’t incorrect usage. Check yer’ Funk and Wagnall’s. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036/23 "2006-06-09T22:11:59Z")
By a strict reading of the word “unique”, every object can be said to be unique. No two dinette sets have quite the same atoms in them, etc. However, there are some items for which “unique” is a more apt description than for others. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to refer to a particular object as “quite unique”, if "unique is a particularly apt description for it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036/24 "2006-06-10T00:07:51Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] [nitnitpick] Your definition of “quite” isn’t quite unique. 😉 “Quite” in one of its UK senses means “completely”. [/nnp] [/QUOTE] For the record, that’s the way I read it the first time; Quite=absolutely - as in ‘I was quite alone’. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036/25 "2006-06-10T03:17:58Z")
[QUOTE=Rube E. Tewesday] Then there was the guy who went on a date with a girl in a paper dress, and had a ripping good time. [/QUOTE] Sounds like quite the cutup. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036/26 "2006-06-10T23:46:36Z")
I used to rent the upper floors of a house owned by a nonegenarian. She moved out before I did, and left a bunch of paper suitcases which I then used when I moved out to mail my things back to my parents. They were great for mailing CDs. Anyone know if they’re still made, and where I can buy them? ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036/27 "2006-06-11T01:12:43Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut] I used to rent the upper floors of a house owned by a nonegenarian. She moved out before I did, and left a bunch of paper suitcases which I then used when I moved out to mail my things back to my parents. They were great for mailing CDs. Anyone know if they’re still made, and where I can buy them? [/QUOTE] Try [http://www.oliebollen.com/detail.aspx?ID=1529&cc=go](http://www.oliebollen.com/detail.aspx?ID=1529&cc=go) Only $32 for a set. Quote: \*\*Set includes one 8", one 10" and one 12" case. \*\* [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-or-are-paper-suitcases/360036.md?page=1)