DRESS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does dress mean? 

• DRESS (noun)
  The noun DRESS has 3 senses:

1. a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice

2. clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion

3. clothing in general

  Familiarity information: DRESS used as a noun is uncommon.

• DRESS (adjective)
  The adjective DRESS has 2 senses:

1. suitable for formal occasions

2. (of an occasion) requiring formal clothes

  Familiarity information: DRESS used as an adjective is rare.

• DRESS (verb)
  The verb DRESS has 16 senses:

1. put on clothes

2. provide with clothes or put clothes on

3. put a finish on

4. dress in a certain manner

5. dress or groom with elaborate care

6. kill and prepare for market or consumption

7. arrange in ranks

8. decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods

9. provide with decoration

10. put a dressing on

11. cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of

12. cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width

13. convert into leather

14. apply a bandage or medication to

15. give a neat appearance to

16. arrange attractively

  Familiarity information: DRESS used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DRESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

dress; frock

Hypernyms ("dress" is a kind of...):

woman's clothing (clothing that is designed for women to wear)

Meronyms (parts of "dress"):

bodice (part of a dress above the waist)

neckline (the line formed by the edge of a garment around the neck)

slide fastener; zip; zip fastener; zipper (a fastener for locking together two toothed edges by means of a sliding tab)

hemline (the line formed by the lower edge of a skirt or coat)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dress"):

dirndl (a dress with a tight bodice and full skirt)

sundress (a light loose sleeveless summer dress with a wide neckline and thin shoulder straps that expose the arms and shoulders)

strapless (a woman's garment that exposes the shoulders and has no shoulder straps)

shirtdress (a dress that is tailored like a shirt and has buttons all the way down the front)

saree; sari (a dress worn primarily by Hindu women; consists of several yards of light material that is draped around the body)

polonaise (a woman's dress with a tight bodice and an overskirt drawn back to reveal a colorful underskirt)

Mother Hubbard; muumuu (a woman's loose unbelted dress)

morning dress (a woman's informal dress for housework)

kirtle (a long dress worn by women)

jumper; pinafore; pinny (a sleeveless dress resembling an apron; worn over other clothing)

gown (a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions)

cocktail dress; sheath (a dress suitable for formal occasions)

coatdress (a dress that is tailored like a coat and buttons up the front)

chemise; sack; shift (a loose-fitting dress hanging straight from the shoulders without a waist)

caftan; kaftan (a woman's dress style that imitates the caftan cloaks worn by men in the Near East)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

attire; dress; garb

Context example:

battle dress

Hypernyms ("dress" is a kind of...):

article of clothing; clothing; habiliment; vesture; wear; wearable (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dress"):

ao dai (the traditional dress of Vietnamese women consisting of a tunic with long sleeves and panels front and back; the tunic is worn over trousers)

activewear; athletic wear; sportswear (attire worn for sport or for casual wear)

getup; outfit; rig; turnout (a set of clothing (with accessories))

morning dress (formal attire for men during the daytime)

false hair; hairpiece; postiche (a covering or bunch of human or artificial hair used for disguise or adornment)

habit; riding habit (attire that is typically worn by a horseback rider (especially a woman's attire))

habit (a distinctive attire worn by a member of a religious order)

evening clothes; evening dress; eveningwear; formalwear (attire to wear on formal occasions in the evening)

ecclesiastical attire; ecclesiastical robe (attire that is appropriate to wear in a church)

disguise (any attire that modifies the appearance in order to conceal the wearer's identity)

costume (the prevalent fashion of dress (including accessories and hair style as well as garments))

costume (unusual or period attire not characteristic of or appropriate to the time and place)

costume (the attire characteristic of a country or a time or a social class)

costume (the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball)

finery (elaborate or showy attire and accessories)

Derivation:

dress (dress in a certain manner)

dressy (in fancy clothing)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Clothing in general

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

apparel; clothes; dress; wearing apparel

Context example:

fastidious about his dress

Hypernyms ("dress" is a kind of...):

article of clothing; clothing; habiliment; vesture; wear; wearable (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dress"):

workwear (heavy-duty clothes for manual or physical work)

Derivation:

dress (put on clothes)

dress (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

dress (dress or groom with elaborate care)

• DRESS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Suitable for formal occasions

Synonyms:

dress; full-dress

Context example:

dress shoes

Similar:

formal (being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress))

Sense 2

Meaning:

(of an occasion) requiring formal clothes

Synonyms:

dress; full-dress

Context example:

a full-dress ceremony

Similar:

formal (being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress))

• DRESS (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Put on clothes

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

dress; get dressed

Context example:

Can the child dress by herself?

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

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

dress; plume; preen; primp (dress or groom with elaborate care)

dress; dress up (dress in a certain manner)

apparel; clothe; dress; enclothe; fit out; garb; garment; habilitate; raiment; tog (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

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

dandify (dress like a dandy)

change (change clothes; put on different clothes)

cross-dress (dress in the clothes of the other sex)

assume; don; get into; put on; wear (put clothing on one's body)

bundle up (dress warmly)

prink (dress very carefully and in a finicky manner)

dress down; underdress (dress informally and casually)

dress; dress up (dress in a certain manner)

attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence examples:

They dress
They dress themselves

Antonym:

undress (get undressed)

Also:

dress down (dress informally and casually)

dress up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)

Derivation:

dresser (a wardrobe assistant for an actor)

dressing (the activity of getting dressed; putting on clothes)

dress (clothing in general)

Sense 2

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 "dress" 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 "dress"):

habit (put a habit on)

gown (dress in a gown)

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

costume; dress up (dress in a costume)

coat (cover or provide with a coat)

shoe (furnish with shoes)

corset (dress with a corset)

underdress (dress without sufficient warmth)

overclothe; overdress (dress too warmly)

vesture (provide or cover with a cloak)

shirt (put a shirt on)

frock (put a frock on)

jacket (put a jacket on)

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

prim; prim out; prim up (dress primly)

Sentence frames:

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

Antonym:

undress (get undressed)

Derivation:

dress (clothing in general)

dresser (a wardrobe assistant for an actor)

dressing (the activity of getting dressed; putting on clothes)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Put a finish on

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

dress the surface smooth

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

finish (provide with a finish)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Dress in a certain manner

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

dress; dress up

Context example:

he dressed up in a suit and tie

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

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Verb group:

attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

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

vest (clothe oneself in ecclesiastical garments)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

dress (clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion)

dresser (a person who dresses in a particular way)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Dress or groom with elaborate care

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

dress; plume; preen; primp

Context example:

She likes to dress when going to the opera

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

attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)

Verb group:

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

dress (clothing in general)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Kill and prepare for market or consumption

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dress; dress out

Context example:

dress a turkey

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

cook; fix; make; prepare; ready (prepare for eating by applying heat)

"Dress" entails doing...:

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Verb group:

dress (put a dressing on)

dress; garnish; trim (decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

dressing (a mixture of seasoned ingredients used to stuff meats and vegetables)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Arrange in ranks

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

dress; line up

Context example:

dress troops

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

position (cause to be in an appropriate place, state, or relation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 8

Meaning:

Decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

dress; garnish; trim

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

adorn; beautify; decorate; embellish; grace; ornament (make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.)

Verb group:

dress; dress out (kill and prepare for market or consumption)

dress (put a dressing on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs dress the vegetables

Sense 9

Meaning:

Provide with decoration

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

decorate; dress

Context example:

dress the windows

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

arrange; set up (put into a proper or systematic order)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 10

Meaning:

Put a dressing on

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

dress the salads

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

apply; put on (apply to a surface)

Verb group:

dress; dress out (kill and prepare for market or consumption)

dress; garnish; trim (decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs dress the vegetables

Derivation:

dressing (savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

clip; crop; cut back; dress; lop; prune; snip; trim

Context example:

dress the plants in the garden

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

thin out (make sparse)

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

shear (cut with shears)

poll; pollard (convert into a pollard)

pinch; top (cut the top off)

disbud (thin out buds to improve the quality of the remaining flowers)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 12

Meaning:

Cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

pare; trim (remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 13

Meaning:

Convert into leather

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

dress the tanned skins

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

convert (change the nature, purpose, or function of something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

dressing (processes in the conversion of rough hides into leather)

Sense 14

Meaning:

Apply a bandage or medication to

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

dress the victim's wounds

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

care for; treat (provide treatment for)

Domain category:

medicine; practice of medicine (the learned profession that is mastered by graduate training in a medical school and that is devoted to preventing or alleviating or curing diseases and injuries)

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

plaster; poultice (dress by covering with a therapeutic substance)

bandage (dress by covering or binding)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he dress his foot?

Derivation:

dressing (the act of applying a bandage)

dressing (a cloth covering for a wound or sore)

Sense 15

Meaning:

Give a neat appearance to

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

curry; dress; groom

Context example:

dress the horses

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

beautify; embellish; fancify; prettify (make more beautiful)

Verb group:

arrange; coif; coiffe; coiffure; do; dress; set (arrange attractively)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They dress the animals

Sense 16

Meaning:

Arrange attractively

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

arrange; coif; coiffe; coiffure; do; dress; set

Context example:

dress my hair for the wedding

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

groom; neaten (care for one's external appearance)

Verb group:

curry; dress; groom (give a neat appearance to)

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

wave (set waves in)

bob (cut hair in the style of a bob)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They dress their hair

 Context examples 

He is poorly dressed, and yet does not appear to be a labourer.

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

Now I am sure that you would not be too proud to earn the price of a new dress, would you?

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

I never in my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

No, she was in her night-dress.

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

The honest Portuguese were equally amazed at my strange dress, and the odd manner of delivering my words, which, however, they understood very well.

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

The times I've passed by houses where dances an' parties was goin' on, an' heard the women laugh, an' saw their white dresses and smiling faces through the windows—Gee!

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Look every inch the successful person—dress the part as if you’ve already won the top job.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The girl washed herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied her pink sunbonnet on her head.

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

“Annie, my dear,” said her mother, doing something to her dress.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

In the moonlight opposite me were three young women, ladies by their dress and manner.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)