skirt

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A separate article of clothing, usually worn by women and girls, that hangs from the waist and covers the lower torso and part of the legs.

   "I like purple best," said Maida. "And old Schlegel has promised to make it for $8. It's going to be lovely. I'm going to have a plaited skirt and a blouse coat trimmed with a band of galloon under a white cloth collar with two rows of—"

2. 2
   noun

   A similar part of a dress or robe, etc., that hangs below the waist.

   The petticoats and skirts ordinarily worn are decidedly the heaviest part of the dress ; hence it is necessary that some reform should be effected in these.

3. 3
   noun

   A loose edging to any part of a dress.

   A narrow lace, or a small skirt of fine ruffled linen, which runs along the upper part of the stays before, and crosses the breast, being a part of the tucker, is called the modesty piece.

4. 4
   noun

   A woman.

   "Mate," said the Cockney, after we'd finished about half the bottle, "it comes to me that we're a couple o' blightin' idjits to be workin' for a skirt." "What d'ya mean?" I asked, taking a pull at the bottle. "Well, 'ere's us, two red-blooded 'e-men, takin' orders from a lousy little frail, 'andin' the swag h'over to 'er, and takin' wot she warnts to 'and us, w'en we could 'ave the 'ole lot. Take this job 'ere now--"

5. 5
   noun

   A border; edge; margin; extreme part of anything.

   here in the skirts of the forest, like fringe upon a petticoat.

6. 6
   verb

   To be on or form the border of.

   The plain was skirted by rows of trees.

7. 7
   verb

   To move around or along the border of; to avoid the center of.

   skirt a mountain

8. 8
   verb

   To cover with a skirt; to surround.

   skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold

Etymology

From Middle English skyrte, from Old Norse skyrta, from Proto-Germanic *skurtijǭ. Doublet of shirt. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Skoarte (“apron”), Dutch schort (“apron”), German Schürze (“apron”), Danish skørt (“skirt”), Swedish skört (“hem of a jacket”), Norwegian skjørt (“skirt”).