livery

Everyday

1. A special uniform worn by servants of a great house or by members of a company or guild in the past. tree →
2. The colours and design of a company's vehicles: «the airline's livery». tree →
3. (livery stable / livery yard) A place where horses are kept and fed for their owners, or hired out, for payment. tree →

In the lessons

In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland the Fish-Footman and the Frog-Footman are «in livery», like footmen of a rich house; Alice thinks one is a fish because of his face. In history, rich families had servants in matching livery. Today buses, trains and planes have a livery of company colours. Phrases: «in livery», «livery stable».

Examples

• The footman wore a smart livery with gold buttons. tree →
• Two footmen in livery stood at the door. tree →
• The trains have a new red and white livery. tree →
• The Fish-Footman was in livery, though he looked like a fish. tree →
• Grandad keeps his horse at a livery yard. tree →
• The servants' livery showed which family they worked for. tree →
• He was dressed in court livery. tree →

Note

Countable. Plural: liveries. Not related to «liver» (the body organ) or «delivery».