livery
/ˈlɪv(ə)ɹi/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.10 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any distinctive identifying uniform worn by a group, such as the uniform worn by chauffeurs and male servants.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "And while the moralist, who is holding forth on the cover ( an accurate portrait of your humble servant), professes to wear neither gown nor bands, but only the very same long-eared livery in which his congregation is arrayed: yet, look you, one is bound to speak the truth as far as one knows it, whether one mounts a cap and bells or a shovel hat; and a deal of disagreeable matter must come out in the course of such an undertaking."
- "Going into the hall he saw a handsome groom, in a braided livery and a bear fur cape, holding a white fur cloak."
- "“I don't know how you and the ‘head,’ as you call him, will get on, but I do know that if you call my duds a ‘livery’ again there'll be trouble. It's bad enough to go around togged out like a life saver on a drill day, but I can stand that 'cause I'm paid for it. What I won't stand is to have them togs called a livery. […]”"
- "By wearing livery, the brewers publicly expressed guild association and solidarity."
- "The 35-year-old must adore this ground as this was his sixth strike in total here: four of these were previously in Manchester City livery, the other in that of Wolfsburg."
- "The airline's new livery received a mixed reaction from the press."
Etymology
From Middle English livery, liveree, from Anglo-Norman liveree, from Old French livree. Compare modern French livrée.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈlɪv(ə)ɹi/
- British English: /ˈlɪv(ə)ɹi/
Usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
- American usage
- Archaic
- Transitive verb
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Law.
Inflected Forms
liveries (plural)
liveray (alternative, obsolete)
liverie (alternative, obsolete)
liveries (present, singular)
liverying (participle, present)
liveried (participle, past)
liveried (past)
more livery (comparative)
most livery (superlative)