cloth

American  

[klawth, kloth] / klɔθ, klɒθ /

noun

plural

cloths

1. a fabric formed by weaving, felting, etc., from wool, hair, silk, flax, cotton, or other fiber, used for garments, upholstery, and many other items.

2. a piece of such a fabric for a particular purpose.

   an altar cloth.

3. the particular attire of any profession, especially that of the clergy.

4. the cloth, the clergy.

   men of the cloth.

5. Nautical.

   1. one of the lengths of canvas or duck of standard width sewn side by side to form a sail, awning, or tarpaulin.

   2. any of various pieces of canvas or duck for reinforcing certain areas of a sail.

   3. a number of sails taken as a whole.

6. Obsolete. a garment; clothing.

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adjective

1. of or made of cloth.

   She wore a cloth coat trimmed with fur.

2. clothbound.

cloth British  

/ klɒθ /

noun

1. 1. a fabric formed by weaving, felting or knitting wool, cotton, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cloth bag

2. a piece of such fabric used for a particular purpose, as for a dishcloth

3. 1. the clothes worn by a clergyman

   2. the clergy

4. obsolete clothing

5. nautical any of the panels of a sail

6. a piece of coloured fabric, used on the stage as scenery

7. a garment in a traditional non-European style

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cloth Idioms  

1. see out of whole cloth; sackcloth and ashes.

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Other Word Forms

• clothlike adjective
• undercloth noun

Etymology

Origin of cloth

before 900; Middle English cloth, clath cloth, garment, Old English clāth; cognate with Dutch kleed, German Kleid

Example Sentences

Dr. Ramaswami brought the kid up to the front and handed him one end of the cloth.

From Literature

Wrapped in a white cloth, his body was laid on a platform on a bed of flowers, made up of rose petals and tuberoses.

From BBC

Hundreds of people are currently camping down in the classrooms using a traditional wrap cloth as bedding on which to lie down.

From BBC

Groups of stakeholders including terminal operators, cruise lines and union representatives sat at large round tables with green table cloths and floral centerpieces.

From Los Angeles Times

There was a large nappy on his head and hands and he had a wet wipe type cloth inserted in his mouth.

From BBC

Related Words

• cotton
• goods
• material
• stuff