bell-bottoms
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun (plural): 1. A style of trousers that are fitted at the waist and thighs but flare out significantly from the knee downward, creating a wide, bell-like opening at the bottom of each leg. 2. Historically, trousers of this style worn by sailors, where the wide leg could be easily rolled up. The style became a major fashion trend, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s.
Usage
The term "bell-bottoms" is a plural noun and is always used with a plural verb. It refers to a single garment (one pair of pants). * His bell-bottoms were so wide they almost touched the floor on either side. * Bell-bottoms made a brief comeback in fashion during the early 2000s.*
Examples
Advanced Usage
- The singular form "bell-bottom" is used attributively (as an adjective) before another noun.
- She wore a bell-bottom silhouette.
- It was a bell-bottom jeans kind of party.
Variants and Related Words
- Bell-bottoms is the standard and most common term.
- Flared trousers/pants or wide-leg trousers/pants are more general, modern terms that can describe a similar silhouette, though "bell-bottoms" specifically implies the dramatic flare from the knee associated with the 1960s/70s.
- Bootcut trousers are a related style that flare slightly from the knee to accommodate boots, but the flare is much more subtle than classic bell-bottoms.
Synonyms
- Flares
- Flared trousers
- Wide-leg pants (less specific)
Antonyms
- Straight-leg trousers
- Skinny jeans
- Tapered trousers
Related Idioms/Phrases
- While not a direct idiom, the phrase "the bell-bottom era" is commonly used to refer to the late 1960s and 1970s in Western popular culture.
- That music is straight out of the bell-bottom era.
Noun
- trousers with legs that flare; worn by sailors; absurdly wide hems were fashionable in the 1960s