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dress
casual dress
Clothing that is not considered or defined as being ceremonial, formal, semi-formal, or business dress, typically comfortable and with a wider range of choice regarding color and dimensions (as of length in shirt sleeves, pant legs, and skirts). I had to wear a suit and tie every day in my last job, but I'm happy my new office lets everyone come in casual dress each day. The party is going to be very informal, so please attend in casual dress.
dress to kill
To dress in extravagantly fancy or stylish clothes so as to thoroughly impress others. Mary always dresses to kill, so she turns heads wherever she goes. The chairman of the board will be there tonight, so be sure you dress to kill!
be off like a prom dress (in May)
humorous To leave or depart very quickly or suddenly. Likened crassly to the stereotypical quickness or eagerness with which American high school students have sexual intercourse after the prom. Primarily heard in US. I'll have just one more drink, but I've got to be off like a prom dress after that. Jared was off like a prom dress in May once his ex-girlfriend showed up to the party.
off like a prom dress (in May)
A humorous phrase said of a quick or sudden departure. Likened crassly to the stereotypical quickness or eagerness with which American high school students have sexual intercourse after the prom. Primarily heard in US. I'll have just one more drink, but I've got to be off like a prom dress after that. Jared was off like a prom dress in May once his ex-girlfriend showed up to the party.
be all dressed up and nowhere to go
To be ready for an event or occasion that has since been canceled. Jimmy canceled our date tonight, so I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go. Jill is all dressed up and nowhere to go because the friend she was supposed to meet got sick.
be dressed to kill
To be very well-dressed and fashionable, typically to impress other people. I have to be dressed to kill at this event tonight—a lot of important people will be there.
be dressed (up) to the nines
To be very well-dressed and fashionable, typically for a formal event. I have to be dressed to the nines at this gala tonight—a lot of important people will be there. The whole family will be dressed up to the nines at the wedding, I'll make sure of it.
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Ready for an event or occasion that has since been canceled. Jimmy canceled our date tonight, so I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go. A: "Why is Jill is all dressed up and nowhere to go?" B: "Oh, because the friend she was supposed to meet got sick."
*(all) dressed up
dressed in one's best clothes; dressed formally. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; get someone ~.) I really hate to get all dressed up just to go somewhere to eat.
all dressed up and nowhere to go
and all dressed up with nowhere to go completely ready for somethingthat has been postponed or has failed to materialize. (May be literal or figurative.) Tom: I just heard that your company is closed today. Fred: Gee, I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go. The space shot was cancelled, so all the astronauts are all dressed up with nowhere to go.
dress for someone
to clothe oneself to please someone. I don't dress for you! Don't tell me how I should look! Sally says she dresses for her friends, but she really dresses for herself.
dress for something
to clothe oneself suitably for some occasion or activity, or for success. Finally, I learned to dress for success. I can wear my tuxedo if you want me to dress for the formal dinner.
dress ( oneself ) up
to dress in fancy dress. They dressed themselves up in their finest. Please dress up for the dance.
dress someone down
to bawl someone out; to give someone a good scolding. The drill sergeant dressed down the entire squadron for failing inspection. I'm really late. I know my parents will dress me down when I get home.
dress someone or something up
to make someone or something appear fancier than is actually so. The publicity specialist dressed the actress up a lot. They dressed up the hall so it looked like a ballroom.
dress someone or something up (in something)
to clothe, decorate, or ornament someone or something in something. She dressed her dolls up in special clothing. She dressed up her dolls in tiny outfits.
dress someone up (as someone or something )
to dress someone to look like or impersonate someone or something. She dressed her little girl up as a witch for Halloween. She dressed up her little girl as a fairy.
dress (up) as someone or something
to dress in the manner of someone or something. l am going to dress up as a ghost for Halloween. Larry will dress up as the pumpkin from Cinderella.
dressed to kill
and dressed (up) fit to killFig. dressed in fancy or stylish clothes. (See also dressed (up) fit to kill.) Wow, look at Sally! She's really dressed to kill. A person doesn't go on vacation dressed to kill. When Joe came to pick Mary up for the movie, he was dressed up fit to kill and carrying a dozen roses.
dressed to the nines
and dressed to the teethFig. dressed very stylishly with nothing overlooked. She showed up for the picnic dressed to the nines. Clare is usually dressed to the teeth in order to impress people.
dress down
to wear informal clothes
I dress down if I know I'm just going to be moving boxes of documents at work. Usage notes: often said about wearing informal clothes at work
dress somebody down
also dress down somebody to tell someone angrily what they have done wrong She dressed him down in front of a large group of his co-workers. He dresses down players on their performance in the games.
dress something up
also dress up something to make something look better or different than it really is
No matter how you dress it up, the fact is that we lost. His business record is a string of failures dressed up as successes. Usage notes: often followed by as, as in the second example
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of dress up (to wear more formal clothes)
dressed to kill
wearing clothes that are intended to make people notice you The crowd was young, hip, and dressed to kill.
dressed to the nines
wearing very fashionable or expensive clothes The door opened to reveal a small woman, dressed to the nines for an evening of partying.
done up/dressed up like a dog's dinner
(British & Australian) wearing clothes which make you look silly when you have tried to dress for a formal occasion There she was, all dressed up like a dog's dinner, in a ridiculous frilly shirt and a skirt that was far too short.
be all dressed up and/with nowhere to go
to be dressed and ready to go somewhere nice, but not have anywhere to go Rob rang up and said he had to work late, so there I was, all dressed up with nowhere to go.
be dressed to kill
to be wearing clothes which are intended to make people sexually attracted to you Rosie emerged from the house, dressed to kill and clutching a bottle of champagne.
be dressed up to the nines
(informal) to be wearing very fashionable or formal clothes for a special occasion They must have been on their way to a wedding or something. They were dressed up to the nines.
See done up up like a dog's dinnerFirst in, best dressed.
(Australian) something that you say which means that the first people to do something will get something first or will have an advantage I've got ten free tickets to the movies to hand out, so it's first in, best dressed.
mutton dressed (up) as lamb
(British informal) an offensive way of saying that a woman is dressed in a style that is more suitable for a much younger woman Do you think this skirt is too short? I don't want to look like mutton dressed as lamb.
dress down
1. Scold, reprimand, as in The sergeant will dress down the entire unit. In the 15th century the verb dress alone was used in the sense of "punish," down being added several centuries later. It also gave rise to the noun dressing down for punishment with blows or words. For example, The teacher gave the girls a severe dressing down.
2. Wear informal clothes, as in
It's best to dress down for a party like a barbecue. [Mid-1900s] For the antonym, see
dress up.
dressed to kill
Also,
dressed to the nines. Elaborately attired, as in
For the opening of the restaurant she was dressed to kill, or
At the opera everyone was dressed to the nines. The first of these hyperbolic expressions dates from the early 1800s and uses
kill in the sense of "to a great or impressive degree." The phrase
to the nines in the sense of "superlative" dates from the late 1700s and its original meaning has been lost, but the most likely theory is that it alludes to the fact that
nine, the highest single-digit numeral, stands for "best." Also see
gussied up.
dress up
1. Wear formal or elaborate clothes, as in
I love to dress up for a party. [Late 1600s] For the antonym, see
dress down, def. 2.
2. Put on a costume of some kind, as in The children love dressing up as witches and goblins. [Late 1800s]
3. Adorn or disguise something in order to make it more interesting or appealing. For example, She has a way of dressing up her account with fanciful details. [Late 1600s]
dress down
v.1. To scold or reprimand someone: The teacher dressed down the students for arriving to class late. My parents dressed me down for being rude.
2. To wear informal clothes, befitting an occasion or location: I dressed down for the casual party.
dress up
v.1. To clothe someone or something: They dressed their dolls up in outfits they made themselves. The store owner dressed up the mannequin and put it in the window of the store.
2. To wear formal or fancy clothes: The students dressed up and went to the prom.
3. To dress someone in clothes suited for some particular occasion or situation: We dressed up the children for the cold weather. We'll need to dress ourselves up for wet weather. I can see you're dressed up to go hiking.
4. To wear clothes suited for some particular occasion or situation: People usually dress up in white to play tennis.
5. To make something appear more interesting or attractive than it actually is: The real estate agent dressed up the truth about the old house. The story of my trip was pretty boring, so I dressed it up with colorful exaggerations.
dressed to kill
mod. dressed in fancy or stylish clothes to impress someone. I’m never dressed to kill. I just try to be neat.
dressed to the nines
and dressed to the teeth mod. dressed very stylishly with nothing overlooked. (see also the whole nine yards for the nine.) She always goes out dressed to the nines. Clare is usually dressed to the teeth in order to impress people.
dressed to the teeth
verb dress ship
Nautical To display the ensign, signal flags, and bunting on a ship.
dressed to the nines
Wearing fashionably elegant clothing. History fails to offer a definitive explanation for this phrase. Among those that have been advanced are emulating the Nine Worthies of the ancient world, the British Army's 99th Foot Regiment's smart uniform, the nine buttons on a medieval woman's gloves, and the nine muses. Whatever the real derivation, we can agree that “nine” has a special significance in the English language, as in “cloud nine” and “the whole nine yards.”
Common Names:
| Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
|---|
| Perce | | PURS | English |
| Maud | | MAWD (English) | English, Dutch |
| Servaos | | ser-VAWS | Limburgish |
| Tertius | | TUR-shəs (English) | Ancient Roman |
| Burt | | BURT | English |
| Sheard | | - | English (Rare) |