DictionaryRoot: dresser
Old French
dresser
make straight, arrange, or prepare
Forms
- dresser
- dress- — The form retained when the French ending is removed.
Origin
From a later Latin formation related to directus, “straight,” from dirigere.
Note
Preparing or arranging something preceded the modern concentration on clothing.
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verb
dress
To clean and cover a wound.
Etymology
The older verb means to arrange or prepare. Dressing a wound puts it into a treated condition by cleaning it and applying appropriate coverings.