- The definition of a smock is a loose dress or blouse that you wear over your clothing to protect the clothing.
A loose cotton shirt that you put on that covers the front and back of your clothes is an example of a smock.
- Smock is to decorate clothing or other items by gathering fabric to one-third of its width and then sewing over the gathers so that the fabric can stretch.
An example of smock is to gather pleats of fabric around the neck and sleeves of a garment in the Middle Ages.
noun
- a loose, shirtlike outer garment worn to protect the clothes
- Archaic a chemise, or sliplike undergarment
- a loose-fitting woman's or girl's dress or top that is gathered into a yoke or by means of smocking at the bust
Origin: Middle English smoc from Old English or Old Norse smokkr from Indo-European an unverified form (s)meugh from base an unverified form meug-, slippery, to slip, slip on from source smuggle, meek, Classical Latin mucus
transitive verb
- to dress in a smock
- to decorate with smocking
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
noun
A loose coatlike outer garment, often worn to protect the clothes while working.
transitive verb smocked, smock·ing, smocks - To clothe in a smock.
- To decorate (fabric) with smocking.
Origin: Middle English, woman's undergarment, from Old English smoc.