apparel
     n : clothing in general; "she was refined in her choice of
         apparel"; "he always bought his clothes at the same
         store"; "fastidious about his dress" [syn: wearing
         apparel, dress, clothes]
     v : provide with clothes or put clothes on; "Parents must feed
         and dress their child" [syn: dress, clothe, enclothe,
          garb, raiment, tog, garment, habilitate, fit
         out] [ant: undress]

Apparel \Ap*par"el\, n. [OE. apparel, apareil, OF. apareil,
   appareil, preparation, provision, furniture, OF. apareiller
   to match, prepare, F. appareiller; OF. a (L. ad) + pareil
   like, similar, fr. LL. pariculus, dim. of L. par equal. See
   Pair.]
   1. External clothing; vesture; garments; dress; garb;
      external habiliments or array.

            Fresh in his new apparel, proud and young. --Denham.

            At public devotion his resigned carriage made
            religion appear in the natural apparel of
            simplicity.                           --Tatler.

   2. A small ornamental piece of embroidery worn on albs and
      some other ecclesiastical vestments.

   3. (Naut.) The furniture of a ship, as masts, sails, rigging,
      anchors, guns, etc.

   Syn: Dress; clothing; vesture; garments; raiment; garb;
        costume; attire; habiliments.

Apparel \Ap*par"el\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Appareled, or
   Apparelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Appareling, or
   Apparelling.] [OF. apareiller.]
   1. To make or get (something) ready; to prepare. [Obs.]
      --Chaucer.

   2. To furnish with apparatus; to equip; to fit out.

            Ships . . . appareled to fight.       --Hayward.

   3. To dress or clothe; to attire.

            They which are gorgeously appareled, and live
            delicately, are in kings' courts.     --Luke vii.
                                                  25.

   4. To dress with external ornaments; to cover with something
      ornamental; to deck; to embellish; as, trees appareled
      with flowers, or a garden with verdure.

            Appareled in celestial light.         --Wordsworth.

Apparel
   In Old Testament times the distinction between male and female
   attire was not very marked. The statute forbidding men to wear
   female apparel (Deut. 22:5) referred especially to ornaments and
   head-dresses. Both men and women wore (1) an under garment or
   tunic, which was bound by a girdle. One who had only this tunic
   on was spoken of as "naked" (1 Sam. 19:24; Job 24:10; Isa.
   20:2). Those in high stations sometimes wore two tunics, the
   outer being called the "upper garment" (1 Sam. 15:27; 18:4;
   24:5; Job 1:20). (2.) They wore in common an over-garment
   ("mantle," Isa. 3:22; 1 Kings 19:13; 2 Kings 2:13), a loose and
   flowing robe. The folds of this upper garment could be formed
   into a lap (Ruth 3:15; Ps. 79:12; Prov. 17:23; Luke 6:38).
   Generals of armies usually wore scarlet robes (Judg. 8:26; Nah.
   2:3). A form of conspicuous raiment is mentioned in Luke 20:46;
   comp. Matt. 23:5.

     Priests alone wore trousers. Both men and women wore turbans.
   Kings and nobles usually had a store of costly garments for
   festive occasions (Isa. 3:22; Zech. 3:4) and for presents (Gen.
   45:22; Esther 4:4; 6:8, 11; 1 Sam. 18:4; 2 Kings 5:5; 10:22).
   Prophets and ascetics wore coarse garments (Isa. 20:2; Zech.
   13:4; Matt. 3:4).