dress rehearsal

American  

noun

1. a rehearsal of a play or other performance in costume and with scenery, properties, and lights arranged and operated as for a performance: often the final rehearsal.

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dress rehearsal British  

noun

1. the last complete rehearsal of a play or other work, using costumes, scenery, lighting, etc, as for the first night

2. any full-scale practice

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Etymology

Origin of dress rehearsal

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

Freezing weather meant Nasa had to postpone the first full dress rehearsal as it was too cold to fuel the SLS rocket.

From BBC

An earlier dress rehearsal will be used to test out material and, as in the US show, not everything from rehearsals will make it on to the live version.

From BBC

The Nasa team said they were not going to attempt another so-called "wet dress rehearsal" once the rocket had been rolled out to the launchpad.

From BBC

Potentially someone who watched the dress rehearsal of the show just a few hours earlier.

From Barron's

Nasa set the launch date following a successful "wet dress rehearsal" - a critical pre-launch test where the rocket is filled with fuel and taken through the countdown sequence.

From BBC

Related Words

• dry run
• rehearsal