clothe
gb/klˈoʊð/ us/klˈoʊð/
B2
English
~ 9700
felöltöztet, felöltözik, ellát ruhával, ruház, borít, megfogalmaz, szavakba önt
VERB
B2
1
felöltöztet
A2
felöltözik
A2
Usage pattern:
to clothe [someone] (in [something])
She quickly clothed the baby before taking him outside.
Gyorsan felöltöztette a babát, mielőtt kivitte volna.
The nurse gently clothed the elderly man in a clean shirt.
Az ápoló gyengéden tiszta ingbe öltöztette az idős férfit.
After swimming, they clothed themselves in dry clothes.
He clothed the actors in brightly colored costumes for the play.
Volunteers came to wash and clothe the victims of the flood.
Learner examples
She clothed the child in a warm coat.
Meleg kabátba öltöztette a gyereket.
He got up and clothed himself before breakfast.
Felkelés után, reggeli előtt felöltözött.
The nurse clothed the old man in a blue shirt.
They clothed the baby after his bath.
Please clothe yourself before you come to the door.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse the verb "clothe" with the noun "clothes" and say *"I clothes my son" instead of "I clothe my son" or, more naturally, "I dress my son". Another mistake is using the wrong form *"cloth" (which is a material) as a verb when they mean "clothe".
Meaning
put clothes on someone
Collocations
wash and clothe the baby
|clothe the children
|clothe herself
|clothe him in a suit
|clothe the patient
Synonyms
dress (More common in everyday speech; slightly less formal than "clothe".)
|
attire (More formal and less common; often used in fixed phrases like "attired in black".)
Antonyms
undress (Means to remove someone’s clothes, the direct opposite action of clothing them.)
Themes
daily life
|family
|daily_life
|clothing
Definition
To put clothes on your body or on another person.
To put clothes on yourself or another person; to dress someone.
VERB
C1
2
ruház
C1
Usage pattern:
to clothe [someone] / to feed and clothe [someone]
On his small salary, he struggled to feed and clothe his family.
Kis fizetéséből nehezen tudta etetni és ruházni a családját.
The organization works to clothe thousands of children every winter.
A szervezet azon dolgozik, hogy minden télen több ezer gyereket lásson el ruhával.
No one should be too poor to feed and clothe their own kids.
The state has a duty to house, feed, and clothe the prisoners.
Donations help us clothe the homeless during the cold months.
Learner examples
He works hard to feed and clothe his three children.
Keményen dolgozik, hogy etesse és ruházza a három gyerekét.
The charity helps to clothe poor families.
A jótékonysági szervezet segít ruhával ellátni a szegény családokat.
With one job, she can just feed and clothe herself.
They sent money to clothe the refugees.
My parents had to feed and clothe five kids.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this sense always means the physical act of putting clothes on someone. In sentences like "He can barely feed and clothe his family", it means to provide enough clothing over time, not to dress them once.
Meaning
provide clothing for someone
Collocations
feed and clothe his family
|clothe the homeless
|unable to clothe his children
|charity that feeds and clothes
|house, feed, and clothe refugees
Synonyms
provide for (Broader; includes food, housing and other needs, not only clothing.)
|
support (General; refers to meeting basic needs, not specifically clothes.)
Antonyms
neglect (Suggests failing to provide clothes and other basic care.)
Themes
daily life
|charity
|economy
|daily_life
|relationships
Definition
To give someone clothes that they need, often again and again.
To supply someone with clothes, especially as a regular responsibility or act of support.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
3
borít
B1
Usage pattern:
to clothe [something] (in/with [something])
In spring the hills are clothed in fresh green.
Tavasszal friss zöld borítja a dombokat.
By morning, the city was clothed in a thick layer of snow.
Reggelre vastag hóréteg borította a várost.
The valley lay quiet, clothed in mist.
At sunset, the mountains were clothed in red and gold light.
The old stone walls are clothed with ivy.
Learner examples
The trees clothed the dark hill.
A sötét dombot fák borították.
In winter the fields are clothed in snow.
Télen hó borítja a mezőket.
The garden was clothed with many flowers.
At night the town is clothed in darkness.
Thick clouds clothed the sky.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this literary use is about actual shirts or pants. In phrases like "the hills are clothed in snow", it does not mean the hills wear clothes; it means snow covers them like clothing.
Meaning
cover something like clothing
Collocations
clothed in snow
|clothed in white
|clothed with trees
|clothed in darkness
|clothe the hills in green
Synonyms
cover (More general and common; lacks the literary or visual flavor of "clothe".)
|
shroud (More poetic; often suggests being covered in darkness, mist, or mystery.)
Antonyms
bare (Means to remove or expose a surface, the opposite of covering or clothing it.)
Themes
nature
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To cover something so that it looks as if it is wearing clothes, for example with snow, trees, or darkness.
To cover the surface of something as if putting clothes on it, often used for natural scenes or abstract coverings.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
4
megfogalmaz
B1
szavakba önt
B2
Usage pattern:
to clothe [an idea/feeling] in [words/language/form]
She struggled to clothe her grief in words.
The essayist clothes complex ideas in clear, simple language.
He tried to clothe his criticism in polite phrases.
The poet clothes everyday experiences in beautiful images.
Diplomats often clothe hard truths in careful, neutral language.
Learner examples
It is hard to clothe this feeling in words.
The writer clothes big ideas in easy language.
He clothed his anger in soft, kind words.
The poet clothes simple stories in rich language.
She could not clothe her thoughts in the right words.
Common mistake:
Learners may read this sense as literal and expect physical clothing. In expressions like "clothe your ideas in simple words", "clothe" is metaphorical and refers to giving ideas an outer form in language.
Meaning
express an idea in words
Collocations
clothe an idea in simple words
|clothe his anger in polite language
|clothe the message in legal terms
|clothe her thoughts in poetry
|clothe criticism in humor
Synonyms
express (Very general; does not emphasize the choice of style or outer form as much as "clothe".)
|
phrase (Focuses on choosing specific words or wording, similar in nuance but more common.)
Antonyms
conceal (Means to hide ideas or feelings instead of showing them in words or form.)
Themes
language
|literature
|communication
|education
Definition
To put an idea or feeling into words or a special form, like giving it clothes.
To express a thought, feeling, or idea in particular words, style, or form, as if giving it clothing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
clothe
IPA
GB/klˈoʊð/
US/klˈoʊð/
Syllables & stress
clothe (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (clothe)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: clothe
- 3rd Person Singular: clothes
- Present Participle: clothing
- Past: clothed
Word family
Expressions
clothe in
1/klˈoʊð ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
literary
cover or dress in something
To put clothes or another layer on a person or thing, so that it is covered.
Examples
- The dancers were clothed in bright red and gold.
- By dawn the mountains were clothed in snow.
- He likes to clothe his arguments in simple, direct language.
clothe in words
1/klˈoʊð ˈɪn wˈɚdz/
fixed phrase
literary
put feelings into words
To express a feeling or idea by using words.
Examples
- He could not clothe his fear in words.
- The speech beautifully clothed the nation’s hopes in simple words.
- Sometimes our strongest emotions are the hardest to clothe in words.
feed and clothe
1/fˈid ˈænd klˈoʊð/
fixed phrase
provide basic food and clothing
To give someone the food and clothes that they need to live.
Examples
- On this salary I can barely feed and clothe my children.
- The charity was set up to feed and clothe the homeless.
- Parents are responsible for feeding and clothing their kids.