Discuss dress here.
DRESS (from the Fr. dresser, to set out, arrange, formed from Lat. directus, arranged, dirigere, to direct, arrange), a substantive of which the current meaning is that of clothing or costume in general, or, specifically, the principal outer garment worn by a woman (see Costume). The verb “to
dress” has various applications which can be deduced from its original meaning. It is thus used not only of the putting on of clothing, but of the
preparing and finishing of leather, the preparation of food for eating, the application of cleansing and healing substances or of bandages, etc., to a
wound, the drawing up in a correct line of a body of troops, and, generally, adorning or decking out, as of a ship with flags. In the language of the
theatre the “dresser” is the person who looks after the actor’s wardrobe and assists him in the changing of his costumes.
verb
I 1) To invest with or as with clothing; attire suitable; clothe; as, civilized people dress themselves; some authors dress thoughts in pleasing style.
“Men dress their children’s minds as they do their bodies, in the prevailing fashion.” - Spencer “Education”
2) To put in order; arrange; adjust; as, to dress a shop-window or a lamp; to dress the hair.
“At which, I dress my ruffled hair.” - Bryant “Song of the Greek Amazon”
3) To array elaborately or richly; adorn, deck; as, to dress a ship with flags.
4) [Surgical] To cleanse and cover or bind with antiseptic applications, protective bandages, or the like; as, to dress a wound or a sore.
5) To prepare by some special treatment. (1) To prepare for market or the table; as, to dress poultry; to dress a salad.
“The names of almost all animals so long as they are alive, are ... Saxon, but when dressed and prepared for food become Norman.” - Trench “Study of Words”
(2) To prepare for manufacture; as, to dress skins for leather; to dress flax or hemp. (3) To reduce to proper shape for use; square or cut down, as tones or timber. (4) To cut, plane, or furrow, etc. a surface, as of wood or of a millstone, so as to render suitable for grinding or other special use. (5) To form a nap on by the use of teazel; teazel; said of cloth. (6) To size or floss; as, to dress muslin or crape. (7) To prepare, as for the furnace, by sorting; as, to dress ore. (8) To cultivate; prune; as, to dress a garden or vine. (9) To curry; as to dress a horse. (10) To treat as seed-grain with solutions of fungicides or with hot water before planting to prevent the occurrence of smut. (11) To rub and polish, as green bricks. (12) To remove flour from as bran.
6) To put in a straight line or make straight; a line, as a military company; as, to dress ranks; to dress bricks.
7) To wear or abrade by the attrition of glacial ice; as, dressed rocks; dressed surfaces.
“I have noticed in these uplands many examples of what are known as ‘dressed surfaces’ on the rocks.” - Arch. Geikie “Sketches”
8) To put right; regulate; adjust.
9) To address
10) To train for use, as a horse.
II 1) To put on or wear clothing. Specifically: (1) To wear elaborate attire; as, she dresses very little. (2) To put on the dress required by custom or strict etiquette for a particular occasion; as, he always dresses for dinner.
2) To come into line; range; as, these walls do not dress in height
3) To go in a certain direction.
4) To give orders
5) To rise
noun
1) That which is worn as a covering for the body; clothes collectively; garments; as, citizen’s dress.
“Let no man know by your dress what your business is.” - Holland “Titcomb Letters”
2) The modern outer garment of a woman or child, consisting of a skirt and a waist either separate or united; a gown; robe; frock.
3) Elegant or fashionable attire; clothing designed or expensively made for adornment; also, the wearing of such attire; as, there is a great deal of
dress at the hotel.
“Dress does not make a man, but it often makes a successful one.” - Disraeli “Endymion”
4) Full dress as opposed to business costume or to half-dress; often attributively; as, a dress affair.
5) Dressing or size, as of leather.
6) The particular fashion of the surface of a millstone or a roll.
7) An outfit of type.
8 [Ornith.] Plumage; as, the breeding-dress.
