dressy (dresi)

[ "And don't trouble to dre ," continued the considerate aunt, "for we are not very dre y here." Marriage, I. 33. 2. Having an air of fashion or dre ; modish; stylish: said of garments or materials. [Colloq.] Many hints had been given on the virtues of black velvet gowns;... they were dre y , and not too dre y. Marriage, I. 206. drest1. An occasional preterit and past participle ciple of dre . drest2t, n. See drast . dretch1t, v. t. [ME. [ME. drechen, drecchen, later dretchen, dreccan , vex, trouble, afflict Connection with dretch2 doubtful.] To vex; trouble; oppre . This chanteclere gan gronen in his throte, As man that in his dreme is drecched sore. Chaucer, Nun's Priest's Tale, 1. 67. "Truly," said the bishop, "I saw the angels heave up Sir Launce lot towards heaven, and the gates of heaven opened against him." "It is but of swevens, said Sir Bors, "for I doubt not Sir Launce lot aileth noth. Rhymes retailed in dribbs . Swift , On Gibb's Psalms. We are sending such regiments and dribs from here and Baltimore as we can spare to Harper's Ferry. Lincoln, in Raymond, p. 241. [ drib1 , v., 4, + -er1.] In [Var. of driblet . ] Same