Library / English Dictionary

GOWN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("gown" is a kind of...):

dress; frock (a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice)

Meronyms (parts of "gown"):

train (piece of cloth forming the long back section of a gown that is drawn along the floor)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gown"):

ball gown (the most formal gown; worn to a ball)

bridal gown; wedding dress; wedding gown (a gown worn by the bride at a wedding)

dinner dress; dinner gown; evening gown; formal (a gown for evening wear)

mantua (loose gown of the 17th and 18th centuries)

tea gown (a long loose-fitting gown formerly popular for wear at afternoon tea)

Derivation:

gown (dress in a gown)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions

Synonyms:

gown; robe

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("gown" is a kind of...):

outerwear; overclothes (clothing for use outdoors)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gown"):

academic gown; academic robe; judge's robe (a gown worn by academics or judges)

vestment (gown (especially ceremonial garments) worn by the clergy)

Derivation:

gown (dress in a gown)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Protective garment worn by surgeons during operations

Synonyms:

gown; scrubs; surgical gown

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("gown" is a kind of...):

garment (an article of clothing)

Derivation:

gown (dress in a gown)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women

Synonyms:

gown; night-robe; nightdress; nightgown; nightie

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("gown" is a kind of...):

intimate apparel; lingerie (women's underwear and nightclothes)

nightclothes; nightwear; sleepwear (garments designed to be worn in bed)

Meronyms (parts of "gown"):

nightcap (a cloth cap worn in bed)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The members of a university as distinguished from the other residents of the town in which the university is located

Example:

the relations between town and gown are always sensitive

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("gown" is a kind of...):

university (the body of faculty and students at a university)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Dress in a gown

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "gown" is one way to...):

apparel; clothe; dress; enclothe; fit out; garb; garment; habilitate; raiment; tog (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

gown (a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions)

gown (outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions)

gown (protective garment worn by surgeons during operations)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He was in his dressing-gown, but his pale, hollow-eyed face told me that his night had been a sleepless one.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"The tears will fall on your green silk gown and spot it."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

“Very much at your service, gentlemen,” answered the strange figure in the dressing-gown.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The book, however, had been left in the billiard-room, so I pulled on my dressing-gown and started off to get it.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Her gown was what he might expect in such a house.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The very gown you have been taking notice of is your own generous present to her when dear Mrs. Rushworth married.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I am sure I must have been as white as my gown.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Her sister was perhaps laid down upon the bed, or in her dressing gown, and therefore not able to come to them.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

And I could see Charley Furuseth, as I had said good-bye to him that morning, lounging in a dressing-gown on the be-pillowed window couch and delivering himself of oracular and pessimistic epigrams.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The soldier saw them going down through the trap-door one after another, the eldest leading the way; and thinking he had no time to lose, he jumped up, put on the cloak which the old woman had given him, and followed them; but in the middle of the stairs he trod on the gown of the youngest princess, and she cried out to her sisters, All is not right; someone took hold of my gown.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)