CLOTHE (clad)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: clad   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does clothe mean? 

• CLOTHE (verb)
  The verb CLOTHE has 3 senses:

1. provide with clothes or put clothes on

2. furnish with power or authority; of kings or emperors

3. cover as if with clothing

  Familiarity information: CLOTHE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLOTHE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they clothe    ... he / she / it clothes   
Past simple: clothed   
Past participle: clothed   
-ing form: clothing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Provide with clothes or put clothes on

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

apparel; clothe; dress; enclothe; fit out; garb; garment; habilitate; raiment; tog

Context example:

Parents must feed and dress their child

Hypernyms (to "clothe" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Verb group:

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "clothe"):

prim; prim out; prim up (dress primly)

cover; wrap up (clothe, as if for protection from the elements)

jacket (put a jacket on)

frock (put a frock on)

shirt (put a shirt on)

habit (put a habit on)

vesture (provide or cover with a cloak)

overclothe; overdress (dress too warmly)

underdress (dress without sufficient warmth)

corset (dress with a corset)

shoe (furnish with shoes)

coat (cover or provide with a coat)

costume; dress up (dress in a costume)

robe; vest (clothe formally; especially in ecclesiastical robes)

gown (dress in a gown)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

clothing (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Furnish with power or authority; of kings or emperors

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

adorn; clothe; invest

Hypernyms (to "clothe" is one way to...):

equip; fit; fit out; outfit (provide with (something) usually for a specific purpose)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody with something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cover as if with clothing

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cloak; clothe; drape; robe

Context example:

the mountain was clothed in tropical trees

Hypernyms (to "clothe" is one way to...):

cover; spread over (form a cover over)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

 Context examples 

All his exertion was used in washing other persons' clothes.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I could not see her clearly enough to know more than that she was tall and graceful, with black hair, and clad in some sort of loose white gown.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“The game is afoot. Not a word! Into your clothes and come!”

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The clothes and food of the children are plain and simple.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Venus in Pisces in the first week of February will be the time to shop for new clothes and to generally find exciting ways to refresh your appearance.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The flurrying snow did not permit the fire to burn any too well, while the wind cut through their clothes and chilled their bodies.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

I was stiff and lame, and cried out with pain when the bed-clothes touched my poor finger-ends.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It was close upon four before the door opened, and a drunken-looking groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The people were all dressed in clothing of a lovely emerald-green color and wore peaked hats like those of the Munchkins.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

He hath not left me clothes enough to make a gallybagger.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)