In modern english usage, the phrase most commonly appears as dressed to the nines or dressed up to the nines. The earliest written example of the phrase is from the 1719 epistle to ramsay by the scottish poet william. There are a couple of problems with this suggestion, though. One very persistent theory is that the british armys 99th regiment of foot were renowned for their smartness, so much so that the other regiments based with them at aldershot were constantly trying to emulate them to equal the nines. So in the end, dressed to the nines is most likely simply an offshoot of the previous to the nines expression, more or less meaning perfect or to perfection. This expression may come from the 99th wiltshire regiment, a military unit who. Its the one that the radio played when the song first came out, back in the day.
Reader donna wrote with the same question, though i dont know. I was told that when men were dressed up for the evening in the victorian era it took nine articles of clothing to be properly dressed. It is recorded in a slang dictionary published in 1859. Origin edit the phrase is said to be scots in origin.
Dressed to the nines definition and meaning collins english. What is origin of the phrase dressed to the nines answers. Phrase that means perfectly dressed in the most fashionable attire. This phrase is derived from the earlier idiom to the nines which was used to indicate that something was of the highest standard. The late late show with james corden recommended for you. Definition of dressed to the nines in the dictionary. To allow our customers a wider selection of gowns, are discontinuing our formally worn program. It was the first time i saw so many ladies dressed to the nines, gathered at the same place, dancing and singing to very unique, ethnic music. The earliest written example of the phrase is from the 1719 epistle to ramsay by the scottish poet william hamilton. In modern english usage, the phrase most commonly appears as dressed to the nine or dressed up to the nine. Choose from our collection of stylish dresses and gowns online or instore. Caroline musts be going to a party shes dressed up to the nines. Long as im dressed to kill ill make sure noone knows disguised in fancydress deep down, messed up hit town dressed up to the nines, to the nines, to the nines, my disguise. Proper usage and pronunciation in phonetic transcription of the word dressed to the nines.
Apr 18, 2014 so in the end, dressed to the nines is most likely simply an offshoot of the previous to the nines expression, more or less meaning perfect or to perfection. Its not the beall and endall, but its better than nothing, no. Dressed to the nines is a shipping term from back when ships had 3 masts each with 3 primary yards. His brooks brothers suit was fitted and very dark navy. The man was dressed to the nines in a tuxedo, hat, gold watch and expensive shoes, because he was going to accept an award a. Book your favourite dress online and pick it up on your preferred date or make an appointment to try on our range of dresses at our boutique shop in caringbah south. Synonyms for dressed to the nines at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. She dressed to the nines for a lecture in a really nice skirt and teamed it with a pair ofer, long johns. One theory is that it comes from the name of the 99th wiltshire regiment, known as the nines, which was renowned for its smart appearance.
Huge hats, frills, tight dresses, sequins and high heels. Everyone was dressed up to the nines for the academy awards, with the men in tuxedos and the women in evening gowns. Learn english with lets talk free english lessons 363,220 views. Information and translations of dressed to the nines in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. See more ideas about style, fashion and dressed to the nines. He smelled of ralph lauren and was a bit taller than she expected, but otherwise the photo from the internet did him justice. Where does the saying dressed to the 9s or dressed to a. Dressed to the nines synonyms, dressed to the nines. Dressed up to the nines definition and meaning collins english. The full quote is usually, dressed to the nines, at sixes and sevens with you. Mar 09, 2020 i was told that when men were dressed up for the evening in the victorian era it took nine articles of clothing to be properly dressed. To describe someone as dressed up to the nines means that they are wearing very smart or glamorous clothes.
Interactive classroom activities download over 300. Dressed to a tee the internet is littered with explanations of this idiom that trace its roots to a bastardization of dressed for a tea or dressed to go to tea, and it is often written as dressed to a tea. What did the reds uniform look like when frank robinson won the rookie of the year award in 1956. Dressed to the nines definition of dressed to the nines by. He had dark, wavy hair cut conservatively, like a banker. Popularity of the name nines in 30 countries, origin and meaning of the name nines. A list of lyrics, artists and songs that contain the term dressed to the nines from the website. Translation for to be dressed up to the nines in the free englishfrench dictionary and many other french translations. Jan 10, 2004 part of the song dont cry for me, argentina says all you will see is a girl you once knew, although shes dressed up to the nines for sixes and sevens with you. Rog dressed to the nines all the time, like any minute somebodys going to discover him, never mind its way too late for that. National baseball hall of fame dressed to the nines. Mar 26, 2008 dressed up to the nines heres one theory concerning the origins of the expression to be dressed up to the nines. So, looking beautiful and being driven crazy by something. This expression is, according to the complete oxford english dictionary, recorded from 1793 in the poetry of robert burns.
Dressed to the nines, or dressed up to the nines are merely a version of the phrase that is applied to clothing. Your local clothing store for women of all ages and sizes at affordable prices. A history of the baseball uniform introduction parts of the uniform timeline uniform database activities credits online exhibits national baseball hall of fame and museum. There was pomp, there was ceremony and there were celebrities dressed to the nines. Definition of dressed up to the nines in the idioms dictionary. Where did the phrase dressed to the nines come from. If someone is dressed to the nines or is dressed up to the nines. The fact that the prior phrase to the nines had been in existence for at least 150 years before we see dressed to the nines makes it obvious that the derivation of the variant version of the phrase need have had no connection with the number nine. After watching the new justin timberlake video, reader katie rose wrote in to ask about the origins of dressed to the nines.
After a nineday holiday in south africa, these three australian. All dressed up and nowhere to go dressed to the nines. Dressed up to the nines definition in the cambridge. New years eve is the one day of the year when people like to go out dressed to the nines. Dressed to the nines definition of dressed to the nines. Where to the nines came from exactly is a bit of a mystery. Wright, l r sleep while i sing 2003 the vicar was also dressed to the nines, in silk trousers, a combat jacket and a pair of highheeled mockcroc ankle boots. Mature housewife getting dressed to go outside xvideos. Since the phrase is applied to someone dressed neatly and crisply, that definition makes sense. Download the abc news app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the.
Idiom, literal translation, meaning, english counterpart. He arrived at the gala, dressed to the nines in his top hat and tails. Xvideos mature housewife getting dressed to go outside free. Dressed up to the nines idioms by the free dictionary. Dressed to the nines synonyms, dressed to the nines antonyms. If you say that someone is dressed up to the nines or dressed to the nines, you mean. He had a prominently roman nose and was cleanshaven. Dressed to the nines definition of dressed to the nines at. This opens up the possibilities to a few more proposed origins, but there doesnt seem to be one solid answer. Sixes and sevens crazy, chaotic, confusing, unsettling. One theory is that it comes from the name of the 99th wiltshire regiment, known as the nines, which. Whats the origin of the phrase dressed up to the nines nine is the most troublesome number in etymology. Despite this, various attempts have been made to guess at the origin.
What is the origin of the term dressed to the nines. Download the exact curriculum that thousands of baselang students. If you say that someone is dressed up to the nines or dressed to the nines, you mean that they are wearing very smart or elegant clothes. Andrew, lisa and carl dressed in hippie outfits, including wigs, sunglasses and fringed. In numerology, 9 is sometimes thought of as the number of ending. There are several phrases of uncertain parentage that include the word.
To the nines is an english idiom meaning to perfection or to the highest degree or to dress buoyantly and high class. In this post, youll learn the most common spanish idioms that youre. Definition of dressed to the nines in the idioms dictionary. Sep 29, 20 10 interesting english idioms free spoken english lessons duration.
What is the origin of the phrase dressed to the nines. Download our english dictionary apps available for both ios and android. From longman dictionary of contemporary english dressed up to the nines dressed up to the nines informal dc wearing your best or most formal clothes dressed examples from the corpus dressed up to the nines now, remember the elegant woman, always dressed to the nines, with the infectious laugh. A history of the baseball uniform introduction parts of the uniform timeline uniform database activities credits. From longman dictionary of contemporary english dressed up to the nines dressed up to the nines informal dc wearing your best or most formal clothes dressed examples from the corpus dressed up to the nines now, remember the elegant woman, always dressed to the nines.
May 22, 2010 dressed up to the nines dressed as nicely as possible. There have been many explanations offered for the origin of this expression. Would most likely be used in evening attire fashion such as being dressed for a formal occasion in which a person would dress their best to command as much respect and attention as possible. Dressed up to the nines meaning in the cambridge english. From this, we can see how one would come up with the expression dressed to the nines from the existing expression more or less meaning. An idiom does not employ the actual meanings of the words therein to derive at the meaning of the idiomatic phrase. Where the expression dressed to the nines came from.
A main goal of dressed to the nines is to make sure we have not only a wide selection of dress styles, but also a wide selection to fit every budget. What uniform did the cardinals wear when they won their first world series in 1926. The earlier idiom only survives today as part of the phrase dressed to the nines. Synonyms for dressed to the nines include dolled up, dressed to advantage, dressed to kill, dressed to the teeth, dressedup, gussied up, in full dress, in full feather, soignee and spiffed up.
Examples are, cloud nine, nine days wonder and the infamous whole nine yards. Dressed to the nines posted by esc on december 28, 1999. Dressed to the nines definition and meaning collins. Donedressed up to the nines meaning in the cambridge. Dressed up to the nines heres one theory concerning the origins of the expression to be dressed up to the nines. Between 1984 and 2018 there were 2 births of nines in the countries below, which represents an. To begin with, the regiments sartorial reputation seems to have dated from the 1850s, while the first recorded use of the phrase is from 1837. Dressed to the nines idioms by the free dictionary. Part of the song dont cry for me, argentina says all you will see is a girl you once knew, although shes dressed up to the nines for sixes and sevens with you. Find descriptive alternatives for dressed to the nines. Dressed up to the nines definition and meaning collins. All you will see is a girl you once knew, although shes dressed up to the nines, at sixes and sevens with you. With the trio of falz, poe and chyn dressed up to the nines, they hosted a chardonnay party with cameo appearances from vector, osi suave, dj sose, dorcas shola fapson a constellation of industry stars. Common lore has it that a tailor making a high quality suit uses more fabric.
If you wanna download the song, and make sure its a good version, get the miami remix. And did barry bonds ever don one of those horizontallystriped pirates caps when he first came up with pittsburgh. Discover the definition of first up, best dressed in our extensive dictionary of english. To the nine is an english idiom meaning to perfection or to the highest degree or to dress buoyantly and high class.
The nine muses origin theory seems to have the strongest case. Nine definition is a number that is one more than eight. Jan 29, 2020 he arrived at the gala, dressed to the nines in his top hat and tails. Mar 09, 2020 1976, tim rice, dont cry for me argentina. Dressed to the nines definition, a cardinal number, eight plus one. Whats the origin of the phrase dressed up to the nines. World wide words tries to record at least a part of this shifting wordscape by featuring new words, word histories, words in the news, and the curiosities of native english speech. Nine wests weekly series dressed to the nines is a funny overthetop look at celebrity fashion with a twist. In modern english usage, the phrase most commonly appears as dressed to. It is up to the viewer to respond to who they are and, perhaps, to imagine why they are dressed to the nines like the other speakers, adams recalled a dedicated friend, and one who was always dressed to the nines he says he is one of the last singers to appear in a tuxedo, and was last night dressed to the nines with bow tie and pocket handkerchief. Synonyms for dressed to the nines in free thesaurus.