full dress

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
full dress
    n 1: formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men [syn:
         {dress suit}, {full dress}, {tailcoat}, {tail coat},
         {tails}, {white tie}, {white tie and tails}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Full \Full\ (f[.u]l), a. [Compar. {Fuller} (f[.u]l"[~e]r);
   superl. {Fullest}.] [OE. & AS. ful; akin to OS. ful, D. vol,
   OHG. fol, G. voll, Icel. fullr, Sw. full, Dan. fuld, Goth.
   fulls, L. plenus, Gr. plh`rhs, Skr. p[=u][.r]na full, pr[=a]
   to fill, also to Gr. poly`s much, E. poly-, pref., G. viel,
   AS. fela. [root]80. Cf. {Complete}, {Fill}, {Plenary},
   {Plenty}.]
   1. Filled up, having within its limits all that it can
      contain; supplied; not empty or vacant; -- said primarily
      of hollow vessels, and hence of anything else; as, a cup
      full of water; a house full of people.
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            Had the throne been full, their meeting would not
            have been regular.                    --Blackstone.
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   2. Abundantly furnished or provided; sufficient in quantity,
      quality, or degree; copious; plenteous; ample; adequate;
      as, a full meal; a full supply; a full voice; a full
      compensation; a house full of furniture.
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   3. Not wanting in any essential quality; complete; entire;
      perfect; adequate; as, a full narrative; a person of full
      age; a full stop; a full face; the full moon.
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            It came to pass, at the end of two full years, that
            Pharaoh
            dreamed.                              --Gen. xii. 1.
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            The man commands
            Like a full soldier.                  --Shak.
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            I can not
            Request a fuller satisfaction
            Than you have freely granted.         --Ford.
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   4. Sated; surfeited.
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            I am full of the burnt offerings of rams. --Is. i.
                                                  11.
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   5. Having the mind filled with ideas; stocked with knowledge;
      stored with information.
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            Reading maketh a full man.            --Bacon.
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   6. Having the attention, thoughts, etc., absorbed in any
      matter, and the feelings more or less excited by it, as,
      to be full of some project.
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            Every one is full of the miracles done by cold baths
            on decayed and weak constitutions.    --Locke.
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   7. Filled with emotions.
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            The heart is so full that a drop overfills it.
                                                  --Lowell.
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   8. Impregnated; made pregnant. [Obs.]
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            Ilia, the fair, . . . full of Mars.   --Dryden.
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   {At full}, when full or complete. --Shak.

   {Full age} (Law) the age at which one attains full personal
      rights; majority; -- in England and the United States the
      age of 21 years. --Abbott.

   {Full and by} (Naut.), sailing closehauled, having all the
      sails full, and lying as near the wind as poesible.

   {Full band} (Mus.), a band in which all the instruments are
      employed.

   {Full binding}, the binding of a book when made wholly of
      leather, as distinguished from half binding.

   {Full bottom}, a kind of wig full and large at the bottom.

   {Full brother} or {Full sister}, a brother or sister having
      the same parents as another.

   {Full cry} (Hunting), eager chase; -- said of hounds that
      have caught the scent, and give tongue together.

   {Full dress}, the dress prescribed by authority or by
      etiquette to be worn on occasions of ceremony.

   {Full hand} (Poker), three of a kind and a pair.

   {Full moon}.
      (a) The moon with its whole disk illuminated, as when
          opposite to the sun.
      (b) The time when the moon is full.

   {Full organ} (Mus.), the organ when all or most stops are
      out.

   {Full score} (Mus.), a score in which all the parts for
      voices and instruments are given.

   {Full sea}, high water.

   {Full swing}, free course; unrestrained liberty; "Leaving
      corrupt nature to . . . the full swing and freedom of its
      own extravagant actings." South (Colloq.)

   {In full}, at length; uncontracted; unabridged; written out
      in words, and not indicated by figures.

   {In full blast}. See under {Blast}.
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