trousers

trousers
\ \ [17] Trousers is a Gaelic contribution to English vocabulary. Irish trius and Scots Gaelic triubhas (singular nouns) denote ‘closefitting shorts’. They were borrowed into English in the 16th century as trouse or trews. The latter form has survived intact, but trouse, through the influence of drawers, was expanded into trousers.
\ \ Cf.TREWS

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Trousers — are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across both as in skirts and dresses). Such items of clothing are often referred to as pants …   Wikipedia

  • trousers — ► PLURAL NOUN ▪ an outer garment covering the body from the waist to the ankles, with a separate part for each leg. ● wear the trousers Cf. ↑wear the trousers DERIVATIVES trousered adjective. ORIGIN from Irish triús and Scottish Gaelic triubhas;… …   English terms dictionary

  • trousers — is a plural noun in ordinary use (Where are my trousers?), but takes the form trouser when used attributively (i.e. before a noun, as in trouser leg and trouser suit) …   Modern English usage

  • Trousers — Trou sers, n. pl. [OF. trousses breeches worn by pages, from trousse, trosse, a bundle, a truss. See {Truss}, and cf. {Trossers}, {Trouse}.] A garment worn by men and boys, extending from the waist to the knee or to the ankle, and covering each… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • trousers — 1610s, earlier trouzes (1580s), extended from trouse (1570s), with plural ending typical of things in pairs, from Gaelic or Middle Irish triubhas close fitting shorts, of uncertain origin. The unexplained intrusive second r is perhaps by… …   Etymology dictionary

  • trousers — [n] pants bloomers, blue jeans, breeches, britches*, chaps*, chinos, cords*, corduroys, denims, dungarees, jeans, knickers, overalls, pantaloons, rompers, slacks; concept 451 …   New thesaurus

  • trousers — [trou′zərz] pl.n. [lengthened (prob. modeled on DRAWERS) < obs. trouse < Gael triubhas,TREWS] an outer garment, esp. for men and boys, extending from the waist generally to the ankles, and divided into separate coverings for the legs; pants …   English World dictionary

  • trousers — n. 1) to put on; wear trousers 2) to take off trousers 3) to button up; unbutton; unzip; zip up one s trousers 4) baggy; long; short trousers 5) a pair of trousers 6) (misc.) a trouser leg * * * [ traʊzəz] long short trousers unbutton …   Combinatory dictionary

  • trousers — noun (esp. BrE) ⇨ See also ↑pants ADJECTIVE ▪ long, short (BrE) ▪ I was still in short trousers (= still only a boy) at the time. ▪ baggy, loose ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • trousers — trouserless, adj. /trow zeuhrz/, n. (used with a pl. v.) 1. Sometimes, trouser. Also called pants. a usually loose fitting outer garment for the lower part of the body, having individual leg portions that reach typically to the ankle but… …   Universalium

  • trousers — trou|sers S2 [ˈtrauzəz US ərz] n [plural] especially BrE [Date: 1600 1700; Origin: trouse trousers (14 19 centuries), from Scottish Gaelic triubhas] a piece of clothing that covers the lower half of your body, with a separate part fitting over… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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