clothing in general
"she was refined in her choice of apparel"
"he always bought his clothes at the same store"
"fastidious about his dress"
An item of clothing (usually worn by a woman or young girl) which both covers the upper part of the body and includes skirts below the waist.
"She bought a floral dress for her wedding that flowed beautifully to the floor."
In plain English: A dress is a single piece of clothing that covers your body from your shoulders down to your legs.
"She bought a beautiful red dress for the wedding."
Usage: As a noun, "dress" refers to a one-piece garment that covers the torso and extends down over the legs, typically associated with women's fashion. Use this word when describing a specific outfit like a sundress or evening gown rather than using it as a verb for general clothing.
put on clothes
"we had to dress quickly"
"dress the patient"
"Can the child dress by herself?"
cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width
"The logger decided to dress the newly harvested pine logs before transporting them to the mill."
To fit out with the necessary clothing; to clothe, put clothes on (something or someone).
"The mother carefully dressed her sleeping baby in a warm onesie before leaving for the hospital."
In plain English: To dress means to put clothes on your body to cover yourself.
"She decided to dress warmly before going outside in the cold wind."
Usage: Use "dress" when you are putting clothes on yourself or helping someone else get clothed for an occasion. Do not use it to describe wearing a specific outfit, such as "dressed in a suit," unless you mean the act of putting that suit on rather than simply being attired.
The word "dress" comes from Middle English forms meaning "to arrange or put in order," which were borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Old French. These earlier terms ultimately trace back to a Late Latin root related to guiding or directing, sharing an ancestor with the English word "direct."