well-dressedadj.

a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Esther xiv. 13 Ȝyue thou a word wel dressid [a1382 L.V. semeli; L. compositum] in my mouth in the siȝt of the lioun.

a1500 (c1435) J. Lydgate Daunce Machabree (Lansd.) (1931) 218 Ne were that myn entent Was weele dressid, thouh I othirwhile erryd, Now shuld I vttrely be shamyd.

1588 R. Parke tr. J. G. de Mendoza Comm. Notable Thinges in tr. J. G. de Mendoza Hist. Kingdome of China 328 Hides and shamway skins very well dressed.

1698 L. Meriton Pecuniæ obediunt Omnia (new ed.) clviii. 99 Their Sacks and Pokes with well-drest Corn they'll Face, When that within's ill drest, and very base.

1771 Encycl. Brit. II. 211/2 The wool must be of a good quality, and well dressed.

1796 Mod. Gulliver's Trav. 109 The rest were cramming every crevice they could find with paper, to exclude the fumette arising from the well-dressed field.

1843 C. King Mem. Croton Aqueduct 206 An arch is then turned from the abutments, with well dressed stone in regular courses.

1850 Knickerbocker July 10 In the time of George the Second, all know that long, profuse, and well-dressed hair was the pride of courtiers.

1937 Amer. Home Apr. 76/1 (advt.) The well-dressed window wears a fresh cloth shade.

2006 L. Spotorno Luigi's Lang. Napkin Folding 9 Good food is enhanced and the atmosphere set by a well dressed table.

1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope f. xii And Esope brought forth moo tongues arayed in another manere, that is to wete with garleck and oynyons, And the scolers sayd Maystre these tongues ben wel dressid [Fr. bien appareillees].

1529 J. Frith Pistle Christen Reader sig. Mii The best that may be founde, well dressed and dayntely to make digestion, with spycerye, sawces, and syropes, coloured out of kinde.

?1575 C. Vitell tr. H. Niclaes Prouerbia x. f. 26 And the Holyons of God and Christ, eate and drinke the wel-dressed Meate, and the wel-prepared Drinke of the Vyne.

a1625 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Honest Mans Fortune v. ii, in Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Xxxxx3/1 Stock fish.., If it be well drest, for the tufnesse sake.

1693 W. Congreve tr. Juvenal Satires xi. 224 Scarce a Slave, but has to Dinner now, The well-dress'd Paps, of a Fat Pregnant Sow.

1739 tr. A. Banier Mythol. & Fables Ancients I. vi. iii. 546 They who had the charge of them, fed them with fine Paste, diluted in Milk mixed with Honey; with Duck's Flesh, which was well dressed.

1768 J. Boswell Acct. Corsica (ed. 2) 280 At dinner we had no less than twelve well-drest dishes.

1832 F. A. Butler Jrnl. 15 Sept. (1835) I. 106 The dinner was plenteous, and tolerably well dressed.

1857 J. Ruskin Polit. Econ. Art i. 13 You will see the good housewife taking pride..in her well-dressed dish, and her full storeroom.

1936 Helena (Montana) Independent 15 Nov. 13/1 The well-dressed salad during the winter of 1936-37 has added to its array of talent nothing more nor less than the plebian [sic] and ancient horseradish.

1999 BBC Good Food July 124/1 For well-dressed salads, try Mitsukan's Rice Vinegar and Seasoned Rice Vinegar Dressing.

1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope ii. xv. f. l And whanne he [sc. a jay] was wel dressyd and arayed [Fr. quand il s'en fut paré], by his oultrecuydaunce or ouerwenynge wold haue gone and conuersed amonge the pecoks, and dispraysed alle his felawes.

1576 R. Peterson tr. G. della Casa Galateo 20 They be neuer redie: euer a trimming: neuer well dressed to their mindes.

1649 R. Baxter Saints Everlasting Rest (new ed.) iii. iii. 316 The jetting gorgeous well drest gallant, that must not have a pin amiss.

1699 J. Cary Disc. East-India-trade 4 Now few think themselves well drest till they are made up in Calicoes, both Men and Women.

1714 A. Pope Rape of Lock (new ed.) ii. 10 Fair Nymphs, and well-drest Youths around her shone.

1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1777 II. 148 A well-drest elderly housekeeper..shewed us the house.

1839 Fraser's Mag. Aug. 191/2 Lord Albert Conyngham, is a well-dressed man—so is his brother, the Marquess.

1908 Westm. Gaz. 2 Jan. 8/1 The prisoner is a well set-up and well-dressed man with a cultivated voice.

1947 Life 17 Nov. 122/2 (caption) Now colored bobby socks are passé; the well-dressed girl wears nothing but white ones.

2006 Crain's N.Y. Business (Nexis) 4 Dec. (New York section) 6 If we expect our customers to be well-dressed, we should be well-dressed to greet them.