catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Dress \Dress\ (dr[e^]s), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dressed
     (dr[e^]st) 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.]
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              At all times thou shalt bless God and pray Him to
              dress thy ways.                       --Chaucer.
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     Note: Dress is used reflexively in Old English, in sense of
           ``to direct one's step; to address one's self.''
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                 To Grisild again will I me dresse. --Chaucer.
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     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.
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     3. (Med.) To treat methodically with remedies, bandages, or
        curative appliances, as a sore, an ulcer, a wound, or a
        wounded or diseased part.
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     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.
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                  And the Lord God took the man, and put him into
                  the garden of Eden to dress it.   --Gen. ii. 15.
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                  When he dresseth the lamps he shall burn
                  incense.                          --Ex. xxx. 7.
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                  Three hundred horses . . . smoothly dressed.
                                                    --Dryden.
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                  Dressing their hair with the white sea flower.
                                                    --Tennyson
            .
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                  If he felt obliged to expostulate, he might have
                  dressed his censures in a kinder form.
                                                    --Carlyle.
        (b) To cut to proper dimensions, or give proper shape to,
            as to a tool by hammering; also, to smooth or finish.
        (c) To put in proper condition by appareling, as the body;
            to put clothes upon; to apparel; to invest with
            garments or rich decorations; to clothe; to deck.
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                  Dressed myself in such humility.  -- Shak.
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                  Prove that ever Idress myself handsome till thy
                  return.                           --Shak.
        (d) To break and train for use, as a horse or other
            animal.
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     To dress up or To dress out, to dress elaborately,
        artificially, or pompously. ``You see very often a king of
        England or France dressed up like a Julius C[ae]sar.''
        --Addison.
  
     To dress a ship (Naut.), to ornament her by hoisting the
        national colors at the peak and mastheads, and setting the
        jack forward; when dressed full, the signal flags and
        pennants are added. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
  
     Syn: To attire; apparel; clothe; accouter; array; robe; rig;
          trim; deck; adorn; embellish.
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        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
  .
  
        If he felt obliged to expostulate, he might have dressed
        his censures in a kinder form.              --Carlyle.
        (b) To cut to proper dimensions, or give proper shape to,
            as to a tool by hammering; also, to smooth or finish.
        (c) To put in proper condition by appareling, as the body;
            to put clothes upon; to apparel; to invest with
            garments or rich decorations; to clothe; to deck.
  
                  Dressed myself in such humility.  -- Shak.
  
                  Prove that ever Idress myself handsome till thy
                  return.                           --Shak.
        (d) To break and train for use, as a horse or other
            animal.
  
     To dress up or out, to dress elaborately, artificially,
        or pompously. ``You see very often a king of England or
        France dressed up like a Julius C[ae]sar.'' --Addison.
  
     To dress a ship (Naut.), to ornament her by hoisting the
        national colors at the peak and mastheads, and setting the
        jack forward; when dressed full, the signal flags and
        pennants are added. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
  
     Syn: To attire; apparel; clothe; accouter; array; robe; rig;
          trim; deck; adorn; embellish.