civilian dress
1
3.6
- noun
- /sɪˈvɪljən drɛs/
:
vestimenta civil
- The second photograph is a two-page spread in the 1924 text showing three Germans in civilian dress (the one in the center).
Examples
-
The conference had a relaxed vibe, with everyone arriving in civilian dress instead of formal attire.
-
My father and I were in civilian dress.
Fiction book (1994) -
This job could have been better accomplished by a team of public health experts in civilian dress.
Blog text (31) -
Clauzon introduced me to a slight, dark-haired man in civilian dress.
Fiction book (2001) -
My uncle attended the wedding in civilian dress instead of his police uniform.
-
After retiring from the military, she enjoyed wearing civilian dress for everyday activities.
Synonyms
8
1.8
Everyday clothes you wear in public, not a uniform
1
2.0
Clothes that people who are not in the military or police wear
Clothes people wear when they are not in uniform
Everyday clothes that are not uniforms or work clothes
Clothes that are not a uniform, like jeans and a T-shirt
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'civilian' (non-military) with 'dress' (clothing), i.e. clothing worn by non-uniformed people rather than a uniform. This modifier+noun composition is a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Civilian dress names plain clothing worn by people who are not soldiers or police. The phrase comes from the image of someone taking off a uniform and putting on civilian dress to look ordinary, so it means 'ordinary, non-uniform clothing'.