# dressing

/ˈdɹɛsɪŋ/ (US) · /dɹˈɛsɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dressing
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. salad sauce

noun · CEFR B1

a cold sauce, usually made of oil and vinegar, that you pour over salad.

For teachers: a seasoned liquid, typically a vinaigrette or creamy sauce, used to flavour salads.

- She made a simple dressing with olive oil, lemon, and a little salt.
- The chef recommended a light balsamic dressing to complement the bitterness of the arugula without overpowering the delicate goat cheese.

### 2. medical bandage

noun · CEFR B2

a protective covering or bandage put on a cut or wound to help it heal.

For teachers: a sterile covering applied directly to a wound to promote healing and protect it from infection.

- The nurse changed the dressing on his arm every morning.
- The surgeon applied a non-stick dressing to the incision site to ensure the wound remained sterile during the initial recovery phase.

### 3. getting dressed

noun · CEFR B1

the act of putting on your clothes.

For teachers: the process or act of attiring oneself in clothing.

- He spent a long time on his dressing because it was a formal party.
- The ritual of morning dressing was, for the Victorian gentleman, a structured affair involving multiple layers and specific accessories.

### 4. food stuffing

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a mixture of bread, herbs, and other ingredients used to fill meat before cooking.

For teachers: a seasoned mixture of ingredients, such as breadcrumbs and herbs, used to stuff poultry or vegetables.

- We always have turkey with herb dressing for our holiday dinner.
- The traditional Thanksgiving dressing was prepared with cornbread, sage, and celery, then baked until the top was perfectly crisp.

### 5. soil treatment

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

material like fertilizer that is spread over soil to help plants grow.

For teachers: the application of manure, compost, or chemical fertilizers to the surface of the soil.

- The gardener applied a top dressing of compost to the flower beds.
- A nitrogen-rich top dressing was applied to the wheat fields in early spring to stimulate vigorous vegetative growth before the flowering stage.

## Examples

- I prefer a simple lemon dressing on my green salad.
- The nurse applied a fresh dressing to the patient's arm to prevent infection and keep the area clean.
- While a heavy dressing can mask the bitterness of certain greens, a light vinaigrette is often preferred to highlight the seasonal freshness of the produce.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.