Etymology: < dress v. Compare earlier dressing n.With sense 2 compare earlier redress n.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman dreser, Anglo-Norman and Middle French dresser, drescer, drescier (French dresser ) to set (something) upright (c1050 in Old French), to stand up (c1100; reflexive), to direct, guide (a ship, one's course), to travel, betake oneself (reflexive) (all early 12th cent.), to lift, raise (something), to draw up (a statement or other document) (both early 12th cent.), to arrange, prepare (something) (c1200; early 14th cent. or earlier with specific reference to preparing and serving food), to prepare oneself (early 13th cent. or earlier; reflexive), to put (something) right (late 13th cent. or earlier) < an unattested post-classical Latin form *directiare < classical Latin dīrectus direct adj. Compare address v.Compare post-classical Latin drescere , dressare to set in order, put to rights (from 13th cent. in British sources), to prepare food (c1310 in a British source), Old Occitan dresar , dreisar , dreçar , Catalan dreçar (12th cent.), Spanish †dreçar (13th cent.; also †dereçar (late 14th cent.)), Italian dirizzare (13th cent.). Specific senses. In sense 1 after address v. (compare sense 1 at that entry). In sense 11b after address v. (compare sense 9 at that entry); compare redress v.¹ With sense 18 compare Middle French, French dresser (mid 16th cent. in this sense). The use with reference to clothing (sense 23) is not paralleled in French and appears to have developed within English. Specific forms. The β. forms show metathesis. In Middle English prefixed and unprefixed forms of the past participle are attested (see y- prefix).