pants

[ pants ]

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. trousers ( def 1 ).
2. underpants, especially for women and children; panties.
3. British. men's underpants, especially long drawers.

pants

/ pænts /

plural noun

1. an undergarment reaching from the waist to the thighs or knees
2. Also calledtrousers a garment shaped to cover the body from the waist to the ankles or knees with separate tube-shaped sections for both legs
3. bore the pants off informal.
   bore the pants off to bore extremely
4. scare the pants off informal.
   scare the pants off to scare extremely

adjective

1. slang.
   inferior

Word History and Origins

Origin of pants¹

1830–40; short for pantaloons

Word History and Origins

Origin of pants¹

C19: shortened from pantaloons; see pantaloon

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. wear the pants, to have the dominant role; be in charge:

   I guess we know who wears the pants in that family.

More idioms and phrases containing pants

In addition to the idiom beginning with pants , also see ants in one's pants ; beat the pants off ; caught with one's pants down ; get the lead out of (one's pants) ; kick in the pants ; seat of the pants ; talk someone's arm (pants) off ; wear the pants .

Example Sentences

So here I am in my requisite Lululemon pants, grunting along to an old hip-hop song at a most ungodly hour.

From The Daily Beast

He wore white gloves, a dignified long black coat, and matching pants and vest, and he carried a dark walking stick.

From The Daily Beast

If you Google “Muslim Christmas tree star” you will see a list of right-wing websites wetting their pants over this.

From The Daily Beast

The Plaza Hotel cooked a fancy-pants latke with red wine braised oxtail, horseradish sunchoke cream, and crispy kale.

From The Daily Beast

Shirtless bros with pillowy lips and cargo pants pulled down to expose tufts of pubic hair.

From The Daily Beast

You're ridin' game in a tough place, as any man has to do who starts with only his pants and his head on.

From Project Gutenberg

He is an old, grizzled man dressed in dungaree pants, a sweater, and a woolen cap with ear flaps.

From Project Gutenberg

He wears the same corduroy pants that Uncle Ben gave him on his twenty-first birthday.

From Project Gutenberg

He was of middle age, black as anthracite coal, bald-headed, (p. 226) and was dressed in pants and coat made of old sailcloth.

From Project Gutenberg

He was dressed in pants made of old sailcloth, and the tattered cast-off blouse of a Union soldier.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• knickers
• shorts
• slacks
• trousers
• underpants