dress-coat
Definition
- Noun:
- A formal evening coat: "dress-coat" refers to a man's formal coat, typically black, with a cutaway front and long tails at the back, worn as part of white-tie attire for very formal events such as balls, state dinners, or opera galas.
Usage Examples
- (A formal coat with tails for a very formal evening event.)
- (The formal coat worn as part of the wedding attire.)
Advanced Usage
- "To be in dress-coat": to be wearing a formal evening coat as part of full white-tie attire.
- All the gentlemen were in dress-coat for the charity gala. (All men wore the formal tailcoat for the event.)
Variants and Related Words
- Dress-coat (n): also spelled "dress coat" (two words) or "dresscoat" (one word) in some contexts, though "dress-coat" is the standard hyphenated form.
- He donned his dress-coat before the opera. (He put on the formal tailcoat.)
- Dress-shirt (n): a formal white shirt with a stiff front and wing collar, worn with a dress-coat.
- He paired his dress-coat with a crisp dress-shirt. (The formal shirt complements the tailcoat.)
- Dress-suit (n): the complete formal attire including dress-coat, trousers, waistcoat, and accessories.
- His dress-suit was immaculate for the reception. (The entire formal outfit was perfect.)
Synonyms
- Tailcoat: a coat with long tails at the back, synonymous with dress-coat in formal wear.
- Evening coat: a coat worn specifically for evening formal occasions.
- White-tie coat: a coat that is part of the white-tie dress code, the most formal attire.
Related Idioms
- "Dress to the nines": to dress very elegantly or formally, often implying wearing a dress-coat or similar attire.
- He was dressed to the nines in his dress-coat and top hat. (He was wearing very formal, stylish clothing.)
Notes on Usage
- The term "dress-coat" is less common in everyday speech; it is often replaced by "tailcoat" or simply "formal coat." It is specifically associated with white-tie events, not black-tie (which uses a tuxedo or dinner jacket).