buckram

/'bʌkrəm/

Thân thiện

The tailor uses buckram to stiffen the collar of a jacket.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A coarse, stiff cotton fabric, often stiffened with glue or sizing, used historically in bookbinding and to stiffen garments.

2. Verb:

   • To stiffen fabric or material, making it rigid, as if treated with buckram.

3. Adjective:

   • Stiffly formal; rigid in manner or style.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The old book's cover was made of faded green buckram.
  • Tailors once used buckram to give shape to collars and hats.

• Verb:

  • She decided to buckram the collar to make it stand up properly.
  • The costume designer buckramed the fabric to achieve the desired historical look.

• Adjective:

  • His buckram demeanor made the conversation feel awkward and forced.
  • The author's buckram prose was difficult for many readers to enjoy.

Advanced Usage

• "Men in buckram": A phrase originating from Shakespeare's , used to refer to imaginary or non-existent people, or to describe a boastful, fabricated story.
  • His tale of meeting celebrities sounded like a story of men in buckram.

Variants and Related Words

• Stiffen (verb): To make or become stiff or rigid.
• Starchy (adjective): Stiffly formal in manner (similar to the adjectival use of ).
• Formal (adjective): Following established conventions; often stiff or ceremonious.

Synonyms

• Noun: Stiffening, sizing, canvas (in specific contexts).
• Adjective: Stiff, starchy, rigid, formal, prim, wooden.

Related Phrases

• To be in buckram: To be stiffly formal or pretentious.
  • At the state dinner, everyone was in buckram, afraid to relax.

Related Idioms

• Men in buckram: Imaginary persons; a fictitious story or boast.
  • He claimed he single-handedly fixed the entire network, but we knew it was just men in buckram.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. rigidly formal
   • a starchy manner
   • the letter was stiff and formal
   • his prose has a buckram quality

Noun

1. a coarse cotton fabric stiffened with glue; used in bookbinding and to stiffen clothing

Verb

1. stiffen with or as with buckram
   • buckram the skirt

Từ đồng nghĩa

• starchy
• stiff