shirt

[ shurt ]

noun

1. a long- or short-sleeved garment for the upper part of the body, usually lightweight and having a collar and a front opening.
2. an undergarment of cotton, or other material, for the upper part of the body.
3. a shirtwaist.
4. a nightshirt.

shirt

/ ʃɜːt /

noun

1. a garment worn on the upper part of the body, esp by men, usually of light material and typically having a collar and sleeves and buttoning up the front
2. See undershirt, nightshirt
   short for nightshirt undershirt
3. keep your shirt on informal.
   keep your shirt on refrain from losing your temper (often used as an exhortation to another)
4. put one's shirt on informal.
   put one's shirt on to bet all one has on (a horse, etc)
5. lose one's shirt on informal.
   lose one's shirt on to lose all one has on (a horse, etc)

Other Words From

• shirtless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shirt¹

before 1150; Middle English schirte, Old English scyrte; cognate with German Schürze, Dutch schort apron, Old Norse skyrta skirt

Word History and Origins

Origin of shirt¹

Old English scyrte; related to Old English sceort short , Old Norse skyrta skirt, Middle High German schurz apron

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in one's shirt sleeves, without a coat: Also in one's shirt-sleeves.

   It was so hot that they worked in their shirt sleeves.

2. keep one's shirt on, Informal. to refrain from becoming angry or impatient; remain calm:

   Tell him to keep his shirt on until we're ready.

3. lose one's shirt, Informal. to lose all that one possesses; suffer a severe financial reverse:

   He lost his shirt in the stock market.

More idioms and phrases containing shirt

see give the shirt off one's back ; hair shirt ; keep one's shirt on ; lose one's shirt ; stuffed shirt .

Example Sentences

Sheskey shot Blake while holding onto his shirt after officers unsuccessfully used a Taser on him, the Wisconsin Justice Department said.

From Fortune

That’s made her a favorite among LGBTQ people, many of whom still wear “For the People” shirts from her presidential campaign.

From Washington Blade

The self-described “personal air sanitizer” sprays chlorine dioxide gas from a badge that customers are encouraged to wear on their backpacks or shirts.

From Voice of San Diego

That may be because there hadn’t been enough sweat on the runners’ shirts to fully wet the supercapacitor.

From Science News For Students

Some of the researchers strapped a capacitor onto their shirts and ran.

From Science News For Students

Prices are relatively inexpensive and come in at around 135 euros for a shirt or 35 euros for hand woven boxers.

From The Daily Beast

The kids had a gift for him too, a tee shirt with ‘Baseball Spoken Here’ stenciled across the front.

From The Daily Beast

Marvin takes off his T-shirt and dives into his swimming pool.

From The Daily Beast

There was a handy distraction in the Che t-shirt the tourist was wearing while celebrating the death.

From The Daily Beast

He was standing on the corner and wearing only a T-shirt and jeans, and this was 11:30 at night and it was really cold.

From The Daily Beast

If you use it wisely, it may be Ulysses' hauberk; if you reject it, the shirt of Nessus were a cooler winding-sheet!

From Project Gutenberg

His hat was pushed back from his forehead, the collar of his blue flannel shirt was open.

From Project Gutenberg

He reached down inside my shirt, with a none too gentle hand, and relieved me of the belt that held the money.

From Project Gutenberg

A pair of thin trousers and a shirt hanging down outside instead of being tucked in at the waist, and his toilet is made.

From Project Gutenberg

To me the national affectation of piety and holiness resembles a white shirt put on over a dirty skin.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blouse
• jersey
• pullover
• tunic
• turtleneck