Library / English Dictionary

UNDRESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Partial or complete nakedness

Example:

a state of undress

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("undress" is a kind of...):

nakedness; nudeness; nudity (the state of being without clothing or covering of any kind)

Derivation:

undress (get undressed)

undress (remove (someone's or one's own) clothes)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Get undressed

Example:

She strips in front of strangers every night for a living

Synonyms:

discase; disrobe; peel; strip; strip down; uncase; unclothe; undress

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "undress" is one way to...):

take off (take away or remove)

Verb group:

disinvest; divest; strip; undress (remove (someone's or one's own) clothes)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "undress"):

take off (remove clothes)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

They undress

They undress themselves

Antonym:

dress (put on clothes)

dress (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

Derivation:

undress (partial or complete nakedness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Remove (someone's or one's own) clothes

Example:

He disinvested himself of his garments

Synonyms:

disinvest; divest; strip; undress

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "undress" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Verb group:

discase; disrobe; peel; strip; strip down; uncase; unclothe; undress (get undressed)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to undress the prisoners

Derivation:

undress (partial or complete nakedness)

Credits

 Context examples: 

When this appeared improbable for that night, I undressed, and went to bed; and, there, I began to wonder fearfully what would be done to me.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I was glad to accept her hospitality; and I submitted to be relieved of my travelling garb just as passively as I used to let her undress me when a child.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Two things I had acquired by my accident: an injured knee-cap that went undressed and from which I suffered for weary months, and the name of “Hump,” which Wolf Larsen had called me from the poop.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

This young girl was so handy, that after I had once or twice pulled off my clothes before her, she was able to dress and undress me, though I never gave her that trouble when she would let me do either myself.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

In revolving these matters, while she undressed, it suddenly struck her as not unlikely that she might that morning have passed near the very spot of this unfortunate woman's confinement—might have been within a few paces of the cell in which she languished out her days; for what part of the abbey could be more fitted for the purpose than that which yet bore the traces of monastic division?

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Of one thing I am glad: if it was that the Count carried me here and undressed me, he must have been hurried in his task, for my pockets are intact.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I was undressing in my own room, when Mr. Micawber's letter tumbled on the floor.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

To-night I was to be Miss Miller's bed-fellow; she helped me to undress: when laid down I glanced at the long rows of beds, each of which was quickly filled with two occupants; in ten minutes the single light was extinguished, and amidst silence and complete darkness I fell asleep.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I was undressing in my own room, when, with a premonitory tap at the door, he entered, and at once began to speak:—To-morrow I want you to bring me, before night, a set of post-mortem knives.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The greater part of the guests had gone to bed as soon as the eating and drinking were over; and we, who had remained whispering and listening half-undressed, at last betook ourselves to bed, too.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)