ENGLISH
REFERENCE

glove

n. countable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈɡɫəv// UK //ɡlˈʌv// glove General-service Slang

n. a piece of clothing that you wear on your hand to keep it warm or safe. It has separate parts for each finger and your thumb.

n. a fitted garment covering the hand with individual sheaths for each finger and the thumb. Used for thermal protection, hygiene, or safety.


SIMPLE

You should wear a glove on each hand in this cold weather.

CONTEXTUAL

The surgeon carefully pulled on a sterile latex glove before starting the operation.

COMPLEX

While mittens provide superior warmth by keeping the fingers together, a leather glove offers the dexterity required for driving or handling tools in winter.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English glove, glofe, from Old English glōf, glōfe, glōfa, ("glove"; weak forms attested only in plural form glōfan (“gloves”)), from Proto-Germanic galōfô (“glove”), from Proto-Germanic ga- (“collective and associative prefix”) + Proto-Germanic lōfô (“flat of the hand, palm”), from Proto-Indo-European lāp-, lēp-, lep- (“flat”). Cognate with Scots gluve, gluive (“glove”), Icelandic glófi (“glove”). Related to Middle English lofe, lufe (“palm of the hand”). More at loof.

Usage

Commonly used in the plural unless referring to a single item that has been lost or found.

Idioms1 entry

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