apparel

From Old French apareillier. Doublet of parrel.

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• IPA^(key): /əˈpæɹəl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈpæ.ɹəl/, /əˈpɛ.ɹəl/

apparel (countable and uncountable, plural apparels)

1. Clothing.
   • 1636 (date written), John Denham, “The Destruction of Troy, an Essay upon the Second Book of Virgils Æneis”, in Poems and Translations, with The Sophy, 4th edition, London: […] [John Macock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1668, →OCLC:

     fresh in his new apparel, proud and young

2. (figurative) Aspect, guise, form.
   • 1709 August 24 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele et al.], “Saturday, August 13, 1709”, in The Tatler, number 54; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume I, London: I. Walker and Co.;  […], 1822, →OCLC:

     At public devotions, her winning modesty, her resigned carriage, made virtue and religion appear with new ornaments, and in the natural apparel of simplicity and beauty.

     The spelling has been modernized.

3. A small ornamental piece of embroidery worn on albs and some other ecclesiastical vestments.
4. (nautical) The furniture of a ship, such as masts, sails, rigging, anchors, guns, etc.
   • 1871, Travis Twiss, Black Book of the Admiralty:

     And if there is need of any thing, such as ship's apparel or other necessaries, and the merchants desire to purchase them, they may do so, and when the voyage is concluded, the merchants may claim for themselves the things which they have bought for the ship or vessel

• See also Thesaurus:clothing

apparel (third-person singular simple present apparels, present participle appareling or apparelling, simple past and past participle appareled or apparelled)

1. (transitive) To dress or clothe; to attire.
   • 1568, Bishops' Bible, Luke vii. 25

     They which are gorgeously appareled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.

   • 1881, Mark Twain, The Prince and the Pauper:

     presently entered a baron and an earl appareled after the Turkish fashion in long robes of bawdkin powdered with gold

2. (transitive) To furnish with apparatus; to equip; to fit out.

   ships appareled to fight

3. (transitive) To dress with external ornaments; to cover with something ornamental

   trees appareled with flowers

   a garden appareled with greenery

• (to dress): dight, don, put on; see also Thesaurus:clothe
• (to furnish with apparatus): kit out
• (to dress with external ornaments): adorn, ornament; see also Thesaurus:decorate