dress Hear it!

Jump To: synonymsSynonyms · examplesUsage Examples · quotesQuotes · linkLink/Cite
Also found in: medicalAH Medical Dictionary
dress definition

dress (dres)

transitive verb dressed or drest, dressing dress′·ing

  1. to put clothes on; clothe
  2. to provide with clothing
  3. to decorate; trim; adorn
  4. to arrange a display in to dress a store window
  5. to arrange or do up (the hair)
  6. to arrange (troops) in a straight line or lines
  7. to apply medicines and bandages to (a wound, sore, etc.)
  8. to treat as required in preparing for use, grooming, etc.; esp.,
    1. to clean and eviscerate (a fowl, deer, etc.)
    2. to till, cultivate, or fertilize (fields or plants)
    3. to curry (a horse, leather, etc.)
    4. to smooth, finish, shape, etc. (stone, wood, etc.)

Etymology: ME dressen, to make straight, direct < OFr drecier, to set up, arrange < VL *directiare < L directus: see direct

intransitive verb

  1. to put on clothes; wear clothes
  2. to dress in formal clothes
  3. to get into a straight line or proper alignment: said of troops

noun

  1. clothes, clothing, or apparel, esp. as suitable for certain occasions [casual dress] or for a certain place or time modern dress
  2. an outer garment for women, having a skirt and usually made in one piece: formerly and traditionally the usual garment for women, now more often limited to somewhat formal occasions
  3. formal clothes
  4. external covering or appearance

adjective

  1. of or for dresses dress material
  2. worn on formal occasions a dress suit
  3. requiring formal clothes a dress occasion
dress Idioms

dress down

  1. to scold severely; reprimand
  2. to wear casual clothes to an activity, job, etc. that ordinarily requires more formal dress

dress ship

to raise the ensign at each masthead and the flagstaff and, often, string signal flags over the mastheads from bow to stern

dress up

  1. to dress in formal clothes, or in clothes more elegant, showy, etc. than one usually wears
  2. to improve the appearance of, as by decorating

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
dress Synonyms

dress

n.

  1. Clothing

    attire, apparel, formal dress, toilette; see clothes.

  2. A woman's outer garment

    frock, basic black dress, gown, jumper, sheath, cocktail dress, evening gown, ball gown, formal*, wedding gown, suit*, skirt*, tunic*, robe*, sun dress, tank dress, shirtwaist dress, shift*, sack*, sweater dress*, strapless*, wraparound*, sari*, muumuu*, toga*, cheongsam*, housedress*, smock*, sarong*, housecoat; see also clothes.


dress

v.

  1. To put on clothes

    don, put on, wear, garb, clothe, change clothes, robe, attire, apparel, costume, drape, array, cover, wrap up, get into, fit into, try on, slip on, slip into, throw on, fix up, spruce up, dress up, overdress, muffle up, bundle up, deck, deck out, doll up*, trick out*, tog up*, underdress*, dress down; see also clothe, dress up, wear 1.

  2. To provide with clothes

    costume, outfit, fit out; see clothe, provide 1.

  3. To make ready for show or use

    groom, adorn, ornament, make ready; see decorate, prepare 1, trim 2.

  4. To give medical treatment

    attend, treat, bandage, cleanse, sterilize, cauterize, give first aid, bind, apply a surgical dressing, apply antiseptics, apply medication, plaster, sew up, remove stitches; see also heal 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

dress Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • wear: Ladies can wear long dresses or smart trousers with top.

Adjective modifier

  • fancy: The girls turned out in fine form wearing all sorts of fancy dress from big pants to cowboy hats.

Modifies a noun

  • rehearsal: He did a dress rehearsal, which was open in the morning.

Noun used with modifier

  • wedding: Re: my wedding dress shop has gone bankrupt!

Infinitive complement

  • impress: Entry is only £ 10 and guests should dress to impress!
dress usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

dress quotes

Thegloryof God isman, and thegloryof manishisdress.

-Anonymous

For Mercy has a human heart Pity a human face: And Love, the human form divine, And Peace, the human dress.

-Blake,William

You must understand that this is not a woman's dress I'm wearing. It's a man's dress.

-Bowie, David real name David Robert Jones

dress quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"dress." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/dress>

APA Style

dress. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/dress

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment