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dress code

dress code

40 2.5
Rules about what clothes people can or must wear in a place
  • noun
  • /drɛs koʊd/
translation icon : código de vestimenta
  • They had a very strict dress code that was basically you have to wear dress shoes, khakis, a collared shirt.
  • a school dress code
  • a dress code prohibits
  • enforce a dress code

It's a tweet that reads you received a wedding invitation that's specifically said on the dress code line.

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Examples

  • We are now enforcing a new dress code at South Park Elementary.

  • Teachers felt strongly that required uniforms and a dress code made a difference in student behavior.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The dress code is quite laid back.

  • Paris Casino has a strict dress code.

  • Visitors are asked to honor the local dress code, which requires knees and shoulders to be covered.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Also, the dress code strictly prohibits blue jeans.

  • We saw a sign that says that this lounge has a very strict dress code and sandals are forbidden.

  • This person writes my workplace doesn't have a dress code so everyone dresses very casually.

  • The restaurant has a formal dress code that requires patrons to wear a suit or a dress.

  • Make sure to check the dress code for the wedding so you wear the appropriate outfit.

How Formal

black tie
  • Formal
12 3.7
formal
1 3.5
dress code
40 2.5
casual
81 1.3

Surface Forms

dress code singular
dress codes plural

Morphology

dress + code

The meaning is directly and compositionally derivable from 'dress' (clothing) + 'code' (set of rules): it denotes a code about what to wear. This noun+noun combination is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The compound dress code comes from two simple words: dress meaning 'clothes' and code meaning 'a set of rules'. Imagine a school or restaurant giving a short list that tells people what to wear; that's why the phrase means 'a set of rules about clothing'.