shirt

[shurt]

noun

1. a long- or short-sleeved garment for the upper part of the body, usually lightweight and having a collar and a front opening.

2. an undergarment of cotton, or other material, for the upper part of the body.

3. a shirtwaist.

4. a nightshirt.

shirt

/ ʃɜːt /

noun

1. a garment worn on the upper part of the body, esp by men, usually of light material and typically having a collar and sleeves and buttoning up the front

2. short for nightshirt undershirt

3. informal,  refrain from losing your temper (often used as an exhortation to another)

4. informal,  to bet all one has on (a horse, etc)

5. informal,  to lose all one has on (a horse, etc)

Other Word Forms

• shirtless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shirt¹

before 1150; Middle English schirte, Old English scyrte; cognate with German Schürze, Dutch schort apron, Old Norse skyrta skirt

Word History and Origins

Origin of shirt¹

Old English scyrte; related to Old English sceort _short , Old Norse skyrta skirt, Middle High German schurz apron

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in one's shirt sleeves, without a coat: Also in one's shirt-sleeves.

   It was so hot that they worked in their shirt sleeves.

2. lose one's shirt, to lose all that one possesses; suffer a severe financial reverse.

   He lost his shirt in the stock market.

3. keep one's shirt on, to refrain from becoming angry or impatient; remain calm.

   Tell him to keep his shirt on until we're ready.

see give the shirt off one's back; hair shirt; keep one's shirt on; lose one's shirt; stuffed shirt.

Example Sentences

Products arriving earlier than normal are so-called core items, such as oxford shirts, polo tops and sweaters, rather than seasonal items, CFO Picicci said.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

I’m somebody that gets very fixated on a piece of clothing — if I find a shirt I like, I wear it every day.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

With their warm smiles, branded shirts and cabinets full of jewellery behind them, Eileen and Patrick are the perfect image of a successful husband and wife team.

Read more on BBC

He has testified in trials after a black mannequin wearing his shirt was hung from a bridge.

Read more on BBC

Mohamed Salah, one of the greatest players ever to pull on the Liverpool shirt, has been emblematic of their struggles.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• blouse 
• jersey 
• pullover 
• tunic 
• turtleneck