GOWN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gown mean? 

• GOWN (noun)
  The noun GOWN has 5 senses:

1. a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions

2. the members of a university as distinguished from the other residents of the town in which the university is located

3. lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women

4. protective garment worn by surgeons during operations

5. outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions

  Familiarity information: GOWN used as a noun is common.

• GOWN (verb)
  The verb GOWN has 1 sense:

1. dress in a gown

  Familiarity information: GOWN used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GOWN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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

dress; frock (a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice)

Meronyms (parts of "gown"):

train (piece of cloth forming the long back section of a gown that is drawn along the floor)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gown"):

ball gown (the most formal gown; worn to a ball)

bridal gown; wedding dress; wedding gown (a gown worn by the bride at a wedding)

dinner dress; dinner gown; evening gown; formal (a gown for evening wear)

mantua (loose gown of the 17th and 18th centuries)

tea gown (a long loose-fitting gown formerly popular for wear at afternoon tea)

Derivation:

gown (dress in a gown)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The members of a university as distinguished from the other residents of the town in which the university is located

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

the relations between town and gown are always sensitive

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

university (the body of faculty and students at a university)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

gown; night-robe; nightdress; nightgown; nightie

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

intimate apparel; lingerie (women's underwear and nightclothes)

nightclothes; nightwear; sleepwear (garments designed to be worn in bed)

Meronyms (parts of "gown"):

nightcap (a cloth cap worn in bed)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Protective garment worn by surgeons during operations

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

gown; scrubs; surgical gown

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

garment (an article of clothing)

Derivation:

gown (dress in a gown)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

gown; robe

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

outerwear; overclothes (clothing for use outdoors)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gown"):

academic gown; academic robe; judge's robe (a gown worn by academics or judges)

vestment (gown (especially ceremonial garments) worn by the clergy)

Derivation:

gown (dress in a gown)

• GOWN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they gown    ... he / she / it gowns   
Past simple: gowned   
Past participle: gowned   
-ing form: gowning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Dress in a gown

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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

apparel; clothe; dress; enclothe; fit out; garb; garment; habilitate; raiment; tog (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

gown (a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions)

gown (outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions)

gown (protective garment worn by surgeons during operations)

 Context examples 

When it was ready for her, she was ready for it, with her nightcap on, and the skirt of her gown turned back on her knees.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I dare say the lace upon Mrs. Hurst's gown—Here she was interrupted again.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Dressing-gown would mean house; dress, outside.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

About two in the morning I was seated by the window, all being dark save for the moonlight outside, when I heard steps behind me, and there was my wife in her dressing-gown.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands in the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then Meg ordered home the greatcoat, and when John arrived, she put it on, and asked him how he liked her new silk gown.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I could not sleep unless it was folded in my night-gown; and when it lay there safe and warm, I was comparatively happy, believing it to be happy likewise.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Anne was considering whether she should venture to suggest that a gown, or a cap, would not be liable to any such misuse, when a knock at the door suspended everything.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I remember I had my favourite gown on.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

He hath them all—gown, jerkin, hosen and all.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)