silk-stocking
Americanadjective
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rich or luxurious in dress.
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aristocratic or wealthy.
a silk-stocking neighborhood.
noun
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a person who dresses richly or luxuriously.
-
an aristocratic or wealthy person.
Etymology
Origin of silk-stocking
First recorded in 1590–1600
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One of the Assistant Attorneys in the office cautioned Yates against taking the job, telling her that, coming from a silk-stocking firm, she might not be ready to deal with criminals.
From The New Yorker • May 22, 2017
His district — long a bastion of silk-stocking Republicanism — was also changing, becoming more Democratic.
From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2014
The gravitas she commands as a boldface name, even among this silk-stocking crowd, meant that people wanted her attention as she made her rounds at the conference.
From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2014
Fifth columnists had infiltrated the enemy's ranks before the British struck, assuring the arrest of some of the most notorious dealers, including the heads of the silk-stocking racket and the jewelry trust.
From Time Magazine Archive
"I'm not so sure of that," replied Kelly, who was wise enough to realize the value of a bogey like Dorn—its usefulness for purposes of "throwing a scare into the silk-stocking crowd."
From The Conflict by Phillips, David Graham
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
