clothe
gb/klˈoʊð/ us/klˈoʊð/
B2
English
~ 9700
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
put clothes on someone
To put clothes on your body or on another person.
Usage pattern:
to clothe [someone] (in [something])
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".
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.)
Collocations
wash and clothe the baby
|clothe the children
|clothe herself
|clothe him in a suit
|clothe the patient
Themes
daily life
|family
|daily_life
|clothing
Examples
- She quickly clothed the baby before taking him outside.
- The nurse gently clothed the elderly man in a clean shirt.
- 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.
- He got up and clothed himself before breakfast.
- 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.
Verb
C1
action
2
provide clothing for someone
To give someone clothes that they need, often again and again.
Usage pattern:
to clothe [someone] / to feed and clothe [someone]
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.
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.)
Collocations
feed and clothe his family
|clothe the homeless
|unable to clothe his children
|charity that feeds and clothes
|house, feed, and clothe refugees
Themes
daily life
|charity
|economy
|daily_life
|relationships
Examples
- On his small salary, he struggled to feed and clothe his family.
- The organization works to clothe thousands of children every winter.
- 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.
- The charity helps to clothe poor families.
- 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.
Verb
literary
C1
action
3
cover something like clothing
To cover something so that it looks as if it is wearing clothes, for example with snow, trees, or darkness.
Usage pattern:
to clothe [something] (in/with [something])
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.
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.)
Collocations
clothed in snow
|clothed in white
|clothed with trees
|clothed in darkness
|clothe the hills in green
Themes
nature
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In spring the hills are clothed in fresh green.
- By morning, the city was clothed in a thick layer of snow.
- 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.
- In winter the fields are clothed in snow.
- The garden was clothed with many flowers.
- At night the town is clothed in darkness.
- Thick clouds clothed the sky.
Verb
literary
C1
action
4
express an idea in words
To put an idea or feeling into words or a special form, like giving it clothes.
Usage pattern:
to clothe [an idea/feeling] in [words/language/form]
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.
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.)
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
Themes
language
|literature
|communication
|education
Examples
- 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.
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.