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Definition of Dress down
1. Verb. Censure severely or angrily. "Sam cannot dress down Sue "; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup"
Specialized synonyms: Castigate, Chasten, Chastise, Correct, Objurgate, Brush Down, Tell Off
Generic synonyms: Criticise, Criticize, Knock, Pick Apart
Derivative terms: Chiding, Lecture, Rebuke, Rebuker, Reprimand, Reproof, Scolder, Scolding
2. Verb. Dress informally and casually. "On Fridays, employees can underdress"
Definition of Dress down
1. Verb. (idiomatic) To scold ¹
2. Verb. To wear casual or informal clothes ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Lexicographical Neighbors of Dress Down
Literary usage of Dress down
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. A French-English Military Technical Dictionary by Cornélis De Witt Willcox (1899)
"MT. va, to draw (win>) down. wir. v. a , to rough-hew, rough down, dress down
roughly (of materials); to reduce approximately to shape, trim down; down; ..."
2. Dyke's Automobile and Gasoline Engine Encyclopedia by Andrew Lee Dyke (1920)
"To properly dress down a ring requires some skill, and a good mechanic will select
a ring which will demand the least amount »f trimming, ..."
3. Employment Training: Successful Projects Share Common Strategy by Sigurd R. Nilsen (1995)
"Another example of getting clients to think about consequences at STRIVE is
through dress-down day. STRIVE has a dress-down day to simulate such situations ..."
4. Carpentry and Woodwork by Edwin W. Foster (1911)
"Set these brads slightly low the surface, and dress down smooth. When tested and
found true, lift the blade by serting a knife blade under it, again fasten ..."
5. Publications by Folklore Society (Great Britain) (1890)
"Bird throws a gold and silver dress down to her, and slippers embroidered with
silk and silver. These she dons, and goes to ball. ..."