v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Addressed p. pr. & vb. n. Addressing. ] [ OE. adressen to raise erect, adorn, OF. adrecier, to straighten, address, F. adresser, fr. à (L. ad) + OF. drecier, F. dresser, to straighten, arrange. See Dress, v. ] 1. To aim; to direct. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

And this good knight his way with me addrest. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To prepare or make ready. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His foe was soon addressed. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Turnus addressed his men to single fight. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

The five foolish virgins addressed themselves at the noise of the bridegroom's coming. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Reflexively: To prepare one's self; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake. [ 1913 Webster ]

These men addressed themselves to the task. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To clothe or array; to dress. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Tecla . . . addressed herself in man's apparel. Jewel. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To direct, as words (to any one or any thing); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any one, an audience). [ 1913 Webster ]

The young hero had addressed his players to him for his assistance. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to; to accost. [ 1913 Webster ]

Are not your orders to address the senate? Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

The representatives of the nation addressed the king. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit; as, he addressed a letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Com.) To consign or intrust to the care of another, as agent or factor; as, the ship was addressed to a merchant in Baltimore. [ 1913 Webster ]

To address one's self to. (a) To prepare one's self for; to apply one's self to. (b) To direct one's speech or discourse to. --
To address the ball (Golf), to take aim at the ball, adjusting the grip on the club, the attitude of the body, etc., to a convenient position. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To prepare one's self. [ Obs. ] “Let us address to tend on Hector's heels.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To direct speech. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Young Turnus to the beauteous maid addrest. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The intransitive uses come from the dropping out of the reflexive pronoun. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. adresse. See Address, v. t. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Act of preparing one's self. [ Obs. ] Jer Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Act of addressing one's self to a person; verbal application. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A formal communication, either written or spoken; a discourse; a speech; a formal application to any one; a petition; a formal statement on some subject or special occasion; as, an address of thanks, an address to the voters. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Direction or superscription of a letter, or the name, title, and place of residence of the person addressed. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Manner of speaking to another; delivery; as, a man of pleasing or insinuating address. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Attention in the way one's addresses to a lady. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Skill; skillful management; dexterity; adroitness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Speech; discourse; harangue; oration; petition; lecture; readiness; ingenuity; tact; adroitness. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. marked with a destination; -- of mail [ Narrower terms: self-addressed ] unaddressed [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. One to whom anything is addressed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of addressing or directing one's course. [ Rare & Obs. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a printer that automatically prints addresses on letters for mailing.
Syn. -- addressing machine [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A female ambassador; also, the wife of an ambassador. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a dress that is tailored like a coat and buttons up the front. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A woman invested with authority to command. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female contestant. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. to dress in the clothes of the other sex. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. someone who adopts the dress or manner or sexual role of the opposite sex.
Syn. -- transvestite. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A female defender. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Defendress of the faith. Stow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A woman who demands. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dressed r 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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

At all times thou shalt bless God and pray Him to dress thy ways. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Dress is used reflexively in Old English, in sense of “to direct one's step; to address one's self.” [ 1913 Webster ]

To Grisild again will I me dresse. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Med.) To treat methodically with remedies, bandages, or curative appliances, as a sore, an ulcer, a wound, or a wounded or diseased part. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it. Gen. ii. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

When he dresseth the lamps he shall burn incense. Ex. xxx. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

Three hundred horses . . . smoothly dressed. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dressing their hair with the white sea flower. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dressed myself in such humility. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prove that ever Idress myself handsome till thy return. Shak.

(d) To break and train for use, as a horse or other animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 Cæsar.” 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. (Mil.) To arrange one's self in due position in a line of soldiers; -- the word of command to form alignment in ranks; as, Dress right, dress! [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To clothe or apparel one's self; to put on one's garments; to pay particular regard to dress; as, to dress quickly. “To dress for a ball.” Latham. [ 1913 Webster ]

To flaunt, to dress, to dance, to thrum. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

To dress to the right,
To dress to the left,
To dress on the center (Mil.), to form alignment with reference to the soldier on the extreme right, or in the center, of the rank, who serves as a guide. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which is used as the covering or ornament of the body; clothes; garments; habit; apparel. “In your soldier's dress.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A lady's gown; as, silk or a velvet dress. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Attention to apparel, or skill in adjusting it. [ 1913 Webster ]

Men of pleasure, dress, and gallantry. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Milling) The system of furrows on the face of a millstone. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dress parade (Mil.), a parade in full uniform for review. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. maneuvers of a horse in response to body signals by the rider. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

. A gallery or balcony in a theater, generally the first above the floor, in which originally dress clothes were customarily worn. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

A coat with skirts behind only, as distinct from the frock coat, of which the skirts surround the body. It is worn on occasions of ceremony. The dress coat of officers of the United States army is a full-skirted frock coat. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. same as attired.
Syn. -- appareled, attired, clad, garbed, garmented, habilimented, robed. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. covered with medication or a bandage ; -- of wounds.
Syn. -- bandaged. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

3. trim and smooth; -- of lumber or stone.
Syn. -- polished. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

pred. adj. attired in strikingly attractive clothing; -- usually of women. [ PJC ]

adj. attired in fancy or formal clothing. [ Narrower terms: dressed to kill(predicate) ]
Syn. -- dressed to the nines(predicate), dolled up, spruced up, spiffed up. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. dressoir. See Dress, v. t. ] A piece of chamber furniture consisting of a chest of drawers, or bureau, with a mirror. [ U. S. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. 1. One who dresses; one who put in order or makes ready for use; one who on clothes or ornaments. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mining) A kind of pick for shaping large coal. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An assistant in a hospital, whose office it is to dress wounds, sores, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. [ F. dressoir. See Dress, v. t. ] (a) A table or bench on which meat and other things are dressed, or prepared for use. (b) A cupboard or set of shelves to receive dishes and cooking utensils. [ 1913 Webster ]

The pewter plates on the dresser
Caught and reflected the flame, as shields of armies the sunshine. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

A term applied to fabrics for the gowns of women and girls; -- most commonly to fabrics of mixed materials, but also applicable to silks, printed linens, and calicoes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being dressy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Dress; raiment; especially, ornamental habiliment or attire. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Surg.) An application (a remedy, bandage, etc.) to cover a sore or wound. Wiseman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Manure or compost over land. When it remains on the surface, it is called a top-dressing. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Cookery) (a) A preparation, such as a sauce, to flavor food for eating; a condiment; as, a dressing for salad. (b) The stuffing of fowls, pigs, etc.; forcemeat. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Gum, starch, and the like, used in stiffening or finishing silk, linen, and other fabrics. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. An ornamental finish, as a molding around doors, windows, or on a ceiling, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Castigation; scolding; -- often with down. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Dressing case, a case of toilet utensils. --
Dressing forceps, a variety of forceps, shaped like a pair of scissors, used in dressing wounds. --
Dressing gown, a light gown, such as is used by a person while dressing; a study gown. --
Dressing room, an apartment appropriated for making one's toilet. --
Top-dressing, manure or compost spread over land and not worked into the soil. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a table, usually having a vertical back piece containing a mirror, at which a person may sit while dressing or applying makeup, and on which articles for the toilet stand. It often has drawers for toiletries, clothing, or accessories. It is also called a vanity or vanity table. [ PJC ]

n. A maker of gowns, or similar garments; a mantuamaker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The art, process, or occupation, of making dresses. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Showy in dress; attentive to dress. [ 1913 Webster ]

A dressy flaunting maidservant. T. Hook. [ 1913 Webster ]

A neat, dressy gentleman in black. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. ambassadrice. ] Same as Ambassadress. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female founder; a woman who founds or establishes, or who endows with a fund. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. full evening dress for men.
Syn. -- dress suit, full dress, tailcoat, tail coat, tails, white tie, white tie and tails. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. suitable for formal occasions; as, a full-dress uniform.
Syn. -- dress. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. requiring formal clothes; -- of a social event; as, a full-dress ceremony.
Syn. -- dress. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. complete in every respect, including formalities; as, a full-dress debate; a full-dress investigation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. The popular name of a speech given by Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, on the battlefield near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA, as part of a ceremony to dedicate a portion of that battlefield as a cemetary for soldiers who died fighting there. See note below. [ PJC ]

☞ Lincoln's Gettysburg Address,

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.

n. One who dresses or cuts hair; a barber. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a toiletry for the hair.
Syn. -- hairtonic, hair oil, hair grease. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Having the surface roughly shaped or faced with the stonecutter's hammer; -- said of building stone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A covering or ornament for the head; a headtire; as, chiefs among the plains Indians had elaborate long headdresses with many feathers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Among birds the males very often appear in a most beautiful headdress, whether it be a crest, a comb, a tuft of feathers, or a natural little plume. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A manner of dressing the hair or of adorning it, whether with or without a veil, ribbons, combs, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female intruder. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To act as a laundress. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A woman whose employment is laundering. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The postal address where a maile can be addressed to a person or organization. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ Mal- + address. ] Bad address; an awkward, tactless, or offensive way of accosting one or talking with one. W. D. Howells. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A battlement in ancient fortifications with interstices for firing through. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A nightgown. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A woman who offends. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]