See Also: bal costume(dictionary)
costume(dictionary)
costume(dictionary)
bathing costume(dictionary)
costume drama(dictionary)
costume jewellery(dictionary)
national costume(dictionary)
swimming costume(dictionary)

costume (iou)



costume noun & verb. E18.
[French from Italian = custom, fashion, habit, from Latin consuetudo, -din-: see CUSTOM noun, adjective, & adverb.]
A. noun.
In historical and literary art: the custom and fashion proper to the time and locality in which a scene is set. E18.
J. Reynolds Hardly reconcileable to strict propriety, and the costume, of which Raffaele was in general a good observer.
The style or fashion of clothing, hair, etc., of a particular country, class, or period. E19.
H. James She sought to..make up for her diffidence of speech by a fine frankness of costume. J. Marquand The Chinese in their silk robes the only persons clinging to a national costume.
Fashion of clothing appropriate to a particular occasion or season; a garment for a particular activity. E19.
bathing-costume, swimming-costume, etc.
Disraeli A Court costume. A. Gray The costumes they would wear at the fancy-dress ball.
b. The dress or attire worn by an actor in a play etc. L19.
c. spec. A swimsuit. L19.
A complete set of outer garments; a woman's matching jacket and skirt or dress. M19.
Comb.: costume drama, costume piece, costume play: in which the actors wear historical costume. costume jewellery artificial jewellery worn to decorate clothes.
b. verb trans. Provide with or dress in a costume. Chiefly as costumed ppl adjective. E19.
costumer noun = COSTUMIER M19.
co'stumery noun arrangement of costumes; costumes collectively: M19.