Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To put clothes on; dress.
  • transitive verb To provide clothes for.
  • transitive verb To cover as if with clothing.
  • transitive verb To endow with a trait or attribute.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Nautical, to cover with canvas; rig.
  • To put garments on; invest with raiment; dress; attire.
  • Hence To cover as if with clothing; overspread or surround with any covering, literally or figuratively; invest.
  • To furnish with raiment; provide with clothing: as, to feed and clothe a child or an apprentice.
  • Synonyms To attire, array, apparel.
  • To wear clothes.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb Poetic To wear clothes.
  • transitive verb To put garments on; to cover with clothing; to dress.
  • transitive verb To provide with clothes.
  • transitive verb Fig.: To cover or invest, as with a garment.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To adorn or cover with clothing; to dress; to supply clothes or clothing.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb cover as if with clothing
  • verb provide with clothes or put clothes on
  • verb furnish with power or authority; of kings or emperors

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English clothen, from Old English clāthian, from clāth, cloth.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English clothen, from Old English clāþian ("to clothe"), from Proto-Germanic *klaiþōnan (“to clothe”), from Proto-Indo-European *glei- (“to adhere to, stick”). Cognate with Dutch kleden and German kleiden. See also cloth, clad.

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Examples

  • It may be well here to clothe the Latin words of the Pope and the assembled Bishops in an English dress.

    The Purpose of the Papacy 1889

  • But in God's name clothe her for the daylight in decency.

    Desert Dust J. Clinton Shepherd 1911

  • For all of you who have been baptized clothe yourselves with Christ.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] DouglasA 2010

  • For all of you who have been baptized clothe yourselves with Christ.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] DouglasA 2010

  • For all of you who have been baptized clothe yourselves with Christ.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] TerryH 2010

  • For all of you who have been baptized clothe yourselves with Christ.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] DouglasA 2010

  • For all of you who have been baptized clothe yourselves with Christ.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] DouglasA 2010

  • For all of you who have been baptized clothe yourselves with Christ.

    Conservapedia - Recent changes [en] TerryH 2010

  • He was the prettiest baby we ever had, too, except -- except Edith, of course. An 'after Austin we didn't even bring up the subject again -- we was pretty well occupied wonderin' how we was goin 'to feed an' clothe 'em all, let alone havin 'pictures of' em.

    The Old Gray Homestead Frances Parkinson Keyes 1927

  • Isn't it possible that GOD ALMIGHTY can 'clothe' HIMSEFL in such a way that we humans can behold HIM in a safe and comfortable manner?

    WordPress.com News endtimespropheticwords 2008

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