Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Dress?

\Dress\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dressed}or {Drest}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Dressing}.] [OF. drecier to make straight, raise, set up, prepare, arrange, F. dresser. (assumed) LL. directiare, fr. L. dirigere, directum, to direct; dis- + regere to rule. See {Right}, and cf. {Address}, {Adroit}, {Direct}, {Dirge}.] 1. To direct; to put right or straight; to regulate; to order. [Obs.] At all times thou shalt bless God and pray Him to dress thy ways. --Chaucer. Note: Dress is used reflexively in Old English, in sense of ``to direct one's step; to address one's self.'' To Grisild again will I me dresse. --Chaucer. 2. (Mil.) To arrange in exact continuity of line, as soldiers; commonly to adjust to a straight line and at proper distance; to align; as, to dress the ranks. 3. (Med.) To treat methodically with remedies, bandages, or curative appliances, as a sore, an ulcer, a wound, or a wounded or diseased part. 4. To adjust; to put in good order; to arrange; specifically: (a) To prepare for use; to fit for any use; to render suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready; as, to dress a slain animal; to dress meat; to dress leather or cloth; to dress or trim a lamp; to dress a garden; to dress a horse, by currying and rubbing; to dress grain, by cleansing it; in mining and metallurgy, to dress ores, by sorting and separating them. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it. --Gen. ii. 15. When he dresseth the lamps he shall burn incense. --Ex. xxx. 7. Three hundred horses . . . smoothly dressed. --Dryden. Dressing their hair with the white sea flower. --Tennyson
\Dress\, v. i. 1. (Mil.) To arrange one's self in due position in a line of soldiers; -- the word of command to form alignment in ranks; as, Right, dress! 2. To clothe or apparel one's self; to put on one's garments; to pay particular regard to dress; as, to dress quickly. ``To dress for a ball.'' --Latham. To flaunt, to dress, to dance, to thrum. --Tennyson . {To dress to the right}, {To dress to the left}, {To dress on the center} (Mil.), to form alignment with reference to the soldier on the extreme right, or in the center, of the rank, who serves as a guide.
\Dress\, n. 1. That which is used as the covering or ornament of the body; clothes; garments; habit; apparel. ``In your soldier's dress.'' --Shak. 2. A lady's gown; as, silk or a velvet dress. 3. Attention to apparel, or skill in adjusting it. Men of pleasure, dress, and gallantry. -- Pope. 4. (Milling) The system of furrows on the face of a millstone. --Knight. {Dress circle}. See under {Circle}. {Dress parade} (Mil.), a parade in full uniform for review.