ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dressed

v.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈdɹɛst// UK //dɹˈɛst// dressed General-service

v. to put clothes on yourself or someone else. It can also mean wearing a particular type or style of clothing.

v. to put on clothes or to provide someone with clothing; to wear a particular style of attire. Often used in the passive voice or as a reflexive action.


SIMPLE

She got up and dressed quickly for work.

CONTEXTUAL

The parents dressed their children in warm coats before they went out into the snow.

COMPLEX

The actors were dressed in elaborate eighteenth-century costumes to maintain the historical authenticity of the play's setting.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

The verb can be used intransitively ('he dressed') or transitively ('she dressed the baby'). When describing the style of clothes someone is wearing, it is frequently used in the passive form 'be dressed in'.

Pitfall

She dressed herself a red dress.She put on a red dress.When 'dress' is used transitively with a person as the object, you must use 'in' to mention the specific garment.

Idioms3 entries

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