To Dress a Wound and a Salad Are the Same Verb
A dress is a woman's garment, and to dress means to put on clothes. The verb also means to prepare, which explains wounds and salads.
A dress is a one-piece garment, and to dress is to put on clothes. The verb's older meaning is to prepare or make ready, which explains the puzzling uses: you dress a wound, dress a salad, dress a shop window and dress stone. All of them are acts of preparation, and clothing is just one case of it. The Latin root is *directus*, straightened — the same word as *direct*.
- A garment. *A summer dress.*
- To put on clothes. *Get dressed.*
- To prepare. *Dress the salad.*
- To treat a wound. *Dress the cut.*
- Dressing — a sauce, or a bandage. *Salad dressing.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | dress | A red dress. |
| Plural | dresses | Two dresses. |
| Verb | dress | Dress quickly. |
| Noun | dressing | A wound dressing. |
| Latin | directus | Straightened. |
- She wore a plain black dress.Garment.
- Dress the salad just before serving.Preparation.
- The nurse dressed the wound.Medical.
All the ways to dress something
- Dress a person — clothe them
- Dress a salad — add oil and vinegar
- Dress a wound — clean and bandage it
- Dress a window — arrange a shop display
- Dress stone — cut and finish it for building
Old French *dresser*, to arrange or prepare, from Vulgar Latin *directiare*, from Latin *directus*, straight or direct.
Why do you dress a wound?
Because the older sense of dress is to prepare or make ready. Clothing is one application among many.
Are dress and direct related?
Yes. Both come from Latin directus, meaning straightened or set right.