dressing

Everyday

1. A sauce, usually of oil, vinegar or cream, poured over salad: «salad dressing». tree →
2. A covering such as a pad or bandage put on a wound to protect it. tree →
3. (US) Stuffing for a turkey or chicken. tree →
4. (verb) Putting clothes on. tree →
5. Getting a salad, a wound, or a shop window ready: «window dressing». tree →
6. A dressing-gown is a loose robe worn over pyjamas or nightclothes. tree →

In the lessons

In first aid lessons, a sterile dressing covers a cut to keep germs out. In cooking, dressing is the sauce for salad. In everyday life, «getting dressed» and «dressing up» (in costumes) are common. Phrases: «salad dressing», «a wound dressing», «dressing gown» (UK, a robe), «dressing room», «dressing-down» (a telling-off), «dressing up».

Examples

• Pour the dressing over the salad. tree →
• The nurse put a clean dressing on the cut. tree →
• (US) We had turkey with dressing at Thanksgiving. tree →
• Hurry up, you're still dressing! tree →
• Put your dressing gown on, it's cold. tree →
• The actors changed in the dressing room. tree →
• The coach gave the team a real dressing-down after they lost. tree →
• The General was walking about in his dressing-gown. tree →

Note

Countable or uncountable for salad dressing. «Dressing gown» (UK, Aus) = «bathrobe/robe» (US). In first aid, wash your hands before touching a dressing and ask an adult for help with deep cuts.