shirt-sleeves
Definition
- Noun (plural):
- Sleeves of a shirt: "shirt-sleeves" refers to the fabric covering the arms of a shirt, typically a dress shirt or casual shirt.
- State of being in one's shirt-sleeves: A common idiomatic usage meaning to wear only a shirt (without a jacket or coat), often implying informal or working conditions.
Usage Examples
- (He pushed the fabric covering his arms upward.)
- (Everyone wore only a shirt, without jackets.)
Advanced Usage
- "in one's shirt-sleeves": Wearing only a shirt, especially without an outer garment like a jacket or coat.
- The men sat in their shirt-sleeves on the porch, enjoying the cool breeze. (They were dressed informally, without jackets.)
- "shirt-sleeves environment": A workplace or setting where formal coats or jackets are not required, indicating a casual or working atmosphere.
- The startup had a shirt-sleeves culture, with employees comfortable in casual attire. (The workplace was informal and relaxed.)
Variants and Related Words
- Shirt-sleeve (adj): Relating to or characteristic of informal or working conditions.
- He gave a shirt-sleeve speech to the factory workers. (A direct, informal address.)
- Shirt (n): A garment worn on the upper body, typically with a collar and sleeves.
Synonyms
- Sleeves: the part of a garment covering the arm.
- Cuffs: the ends of sleeves, often at the wrist.
Related Idioms
- Roll up one's shirt-sleeves: To prepare for hard work or action.
- It's time to roll up our shirt-sleeves and get the job done. (Prepare to work diligently.)
- Shirt-sleeve diplomacy: Informal, direct negotiations without formalities.
- The leaders engaged in shirt-sleeve diplomacy over lunch. (They discussed matters casually and directly.)
Note on Usage
The word "shirt-sleeves" is almost always used in the plural form, especially in the phrase "in one's shirt-sleeves." It does not have a standard singular form in common usage; a single sleeve is simply called a "sleeve."