from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Coat \Coat\ (k[=o]t; 110), n. [OF. cote, F. cotte, petticoat,
cotte d'armes coat of arms, cotte de mailles coat of mail,
LL. cota, cotta, tunic, prob. of German origin; cf. OHG.
chozzo coarse mantle, G. klotze, D. kot, hut, E. cot. Cf.
{Cot} a hut.]
1. An outer garment fitting the upper part of the body;
especially, such a garment worn by men.
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Let each
His adamantine coat gird well. --Milton.
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2. A petticoat. [Obs.] "A child in coats." --Locke.
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3. The habit or vesture of an order of men, indicating the
order or office; cloth.
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Men of his coat should be minding their prayers.
--Swift.
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She was sought by spirits of richest coat. --Shak.
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4. An external covering like a garment, as fur, skin, wool,
husk, or bark; as, the horses coats were sleek.
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Fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or smooth rined, or bearded husk, or shell.
--Milton.
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5. A layer of any substance covering another; a cover; a
tegument; as, the coats of the eye; the coats of an onion;
a coat of tar or varnish.
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6. Same as Coat of arms. See below.
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Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight,
Or tear the lions out of England's coat. --Shak.
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7. A coat card. See below. [Obs.]
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Here's a trick of discarded cards of us! We were
ranked with coats as long as old master lived.
--Massinger.
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{Coat armor}. See under {Armor}.
{Coat of arms} (Her.), a translation of the French cotte
d'armes, a garment of light material worn over the armor
in the 15th and 16th centuries. This was often charged
with the heraldic bearings of the wearer. Hence, an
heraldic achievement; the bearings of any person, taken
together.
{Coat card}, a card bearing a coated figure; the king, queen,
or knave of playing cards. "`I am a coat card indeed.'
`Then thou must needs be a knave, for thou art neither
king nor queen.'" --Rowley.
{Coat link}, a pair of buttons or studs joined by a link, to
hold together the lappels of a double-breasted coat; or a
button with a loop for a single-breasted coat.
{Coat of mail}, a defensive garment of chain mail. See {Chain
mail}, under {Chain}.
{Mast coat} (Naut.), a piece of canvas nailed around a mast,
where it passes through the deck, to prevent water from
getting below.
{Sail coat} (Naut.), a canvas cover laced over furled sails,
and the like, to keep them dry and clean.
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