stocking

[stok-ing]

noun

1. a close-fitting covering for the foot and part of the leg, usually knitted, of wool, cotton, nylon, silk, or similar material.

2. something resembling such a covering.

stocking

/ ˈstɒkɪŋ /

noun

1. one of a pair of close-fitting garments made of knitted yarn to cover the foot and part or all of the leg

2. something resembling this in position, function, appearance, etc

3. wearing stockings or socks but no shoes

Other Word Forms

• stockinged adjective
• stockingless adjective
• half-stocking noun
• overstocking noun
• unstockinged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stocking¹

First recorded in 1575–85; stock + -ing ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of stocking¹

C16: from dialect stock stocking + _-ing ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in one's stocking feet, wearing stockings, but without shoes.

   Be careful of glass splinters if you walk through here in your stocking feet.

Example Sentences

Companies boosted imports in July to beat pending tariff increases, stocking up earlier than usual for the year-end holiday shopping season.

Read more on MarketWatch

"I insist the children have coal in their Christmas stockings, which is a luxury item in Wales," he joked.

Read more on BBC

Penelope was grateful for this insight about socks, for she too struggled with socks that went missing on laundry day, and this despite having an exceptionally well-organized stocking drawer.

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There were leaves in her hair, rips in her stockings, and dirt smudged across both cheeks.

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“My carriage is large, as you see. And it seemed too fine a day to stay indoors skating around the floor in one’s stocking feet, don’t you agree?”

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• hose 
• hosiery 
• sock