Home US English blouse

Definition of blouse in English:

blouse

Pronunciation /blous/ /blaʊs/ /blouz/ /blaʊz/

See synonyms for blouse on Thesaurus.com

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noun

  • 1A woman's loose upper garment resembling a shirt, typically with a collar, buttons, and sleeves.

    ‘I then unbuttoned my sleeve buttons to the blouse and let that drop to the floor.’
    • ‘Christine undid the top three buttons of her blouse, pulling her collar back to reveal the nape of her neck, and looked at Bill expectantly.’
    • ‘In the context of an interview with mainstream corporate America, it's best to cover your tattoos and piercings with long-sleeved shirts, blouses, collars, and such.’
    • ‘An asymmetrical blouse, a drop-shoulder blouse with bat sleeves and a long skirt with an uneven border were among those displayed.’
    • ‘Men wear a shirt over their batik, while women wear close-fitting blouses with tight sleeves over theirs.’
    • ‘Raise your arm slightly, see if you can pull your shirt or blouse sleeve away from the underarm to let in a little air.’
    • ‘They don't stare at me in awkward silence when a button pops open on the upper part of my blouse.’
    • ‘She buttoned up the blouse and slid the cardigan on over it.’
    • ‘Cap sleeves and a smock blouse look great with a waistcoat and teamed with a loose, lightweight scarf.’
    • ‘She then grabbed up the usual garments she always wore on the weekends, her white blouse with no sleeves and the red mini skirt.’
    • ‘Underneath her jacket she wore and off white silk button up blouse shirt that buttoned down just low enough to make my heart race.’
    • ‘She rolled up the sleeves to the blouse and blazer to just below her elbows.’
    • ‘In the north, the sleeves of the blouse are wide, with lace embroidery along the edges.’
    • ‘She was dressed in a pale yellow blouse with a large collar and long sleeves buttoned at the wrists, and tight dark brown slacks.’
    • ‘She threw herself on her bed and ripped her shoes off, pulling her black pants on over her jeans and trying to button her black blouse with one hand.’
    • ‘Without a second thought, I pulled on the white blouse and buttoned up my jeans.’
    • ‘Hang as many items as you can on clothes hangers, beginning with the obvious things like dresses, dress shirts and blouses and hang the hangers on a clothes rod to dry.’
    • ‘I wear khakis or black pants and pastel-colored long sleeve blouses.’
    • ‘Both men's and women's traditional costumes include a decorative broach used to fasten shirts and blouses.’
    • ‘She touches the sleeve of my blouse and her hand lingers there for a moment, as if what she really wants is to play the material between her fingers.’
    1. 1.1A loose linen or cotton garment of a type worn by peasants and manual workers, typically belted at the waist.
      ‘A short black skirt and white peasant blouse with loose, belled sleeves and low neckline soon followed.’
      • ‘She favors nice but functional clothing in browns and creams - usually long skirts, peasant blouses and a bodice with a belt that holds several pouches.’
      • ‘It was no longer the cotton skirt and peasant blouse she had been wearing.’
      • ‘Their normal every - day clothes began to shift into woollen trousers and linen blouses, clothes of varying colours.’
      • ‘The move to apply quotas to men's and boys' cotton T-shirts and underwear, mid-shirts, trousers, blouses and comb cotton yarn is welcome news to the industry.’
      • ‘On such occasions, women will wear lacy white peasant blouses, black embroidered bodices, and white aprons.’
      • ‘They both had blond, curly hair and were wearing skirts and peasant blouses.’
      • ‘She held up a skirt, a loose blouse, and a vest-like object, as well as a pair of lace-up boots.’
      • ‘In rural areas, women commonly wear a loincloth tied around the waist, and a blouse.’
      • ‘His blouses were peasant style with off-the-shoulder necklines and macrame detailing.’
      • ‘A blouse made from a single rectangular piece of woolen cloth is fastened at one shoulder, but it is more common for women to wear cotton blouses.’
      • ‘It may consist of a long, loose cotton skirt and short-sleeved cotton blouse, both brightly colored and embroidered.’
      • ‘A rosy-cheeked woman in a peasant blouse, her hair piled on top of her head, tells me she hit on a guy outside earlier that night.’
      • ‘Ainye entered the dining hall in a loose blouse and slacks, still wearing her heavy fighting boots.’
      • ‘A woman in a peasant blouse dances by herself in among the children.’
      • ‘Vincent nodded respectfully and tried to wring out some of the water from his loose blouse.’
      • ‘The woman's folk costume is either a loose white dress or an embroidered blouse with a full skirt, embroidered apron, and kerchief.’
      • ‘In the winter, women would wear heavier blouses and skirts, shawls, and a cotton or woollen capuche on their heads to keep warm.’
      • ‘Women wear gathered skirts and blouses made of simple materials such as linen and cotton.’
      • ‘She was dressed in a peasant's blouse and skirt, and her gaze was fixed on Monsieur Verdoux.’
    2. 1.2A type of jacket worn as part of military uniform.
      ‘The comparatively new uniform features jacket and blouse, and a trilby-style hat.’
      • ‘Their uniform included a huge floppy beret, a short blouse, and putties.’
      • ‘Holly just smirked and slashed the blouse of the soldier's uniform and laughed.’
      • ‘When shooting, a student sets up, usually laying his battle dress uniform blouse in the dirt, with his rucksack in front of him.’

verb

with object and adverbial

  • Make (a garment) hang in loose folds.

    ‘I bloused my trousers over my boots’
    • ‘my dress bloused out above my waist’
    • ‘If it's really hot they can go around without blousing their boots.’
    • ‘Only a little more blousing of the shirt above the waistband is required to complete the concealment.’

Origin

Early 19th century (denoting a belted loose garment worn by peasants): from French, of unknown origin.