Pants Definition & Meaning

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    • Synonyms pants American [pants] / pænts /

    noun

    (used with a plural verb)

    1. trousers.

    2. underpants, especially for women and children; panties.

    3. British. men's underpants, especially long drawers.

    idioms

    1. wear the pants, to have the dominant role; be in charge.

      I guess we know who wears the pants in that family.

    pants British / pænts /

    plural noun

    1. an undergarment reaching from the waist to the thighs or knees

    2. Also called: trousers. a garment shaped to cover the body from the waist to the ankles or knees with separate tube-shaped sections for both legs

    3. informal to bore extremely

    4. informal to scare extremely

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

    adjective

    1. slang inferior

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 pants More Idioms

      More idioms and phrases containing pants

      • ants in one's pants
      • beat the pants off
      • caught with one's pants down
      • get the lead out of (one's pants)
      • kick in the pants
      • seat of the pants
      • talk someone's arm (pants) off
      • wear the pants

    Usage

    What is a basic definition of pants? Pants are an article of clothing that extends from the waist to around the ankles and fits around each leg.Also known as trousers, pants are worn by people of all genders and ages. As opposed to a dress or a skirt, pants are divided down the middle and have openings for each leg. The fabric of pants wrap around each leg and usually extends to the ankles or at least past the knees.A single item of this clothing is called “a pair of pants” and multiple items are called “pairs of pants.” This article of clothing is never referred to as a “pant.”Pants is a general term for this type of clothing and is further divided into other specific kinds of pants, depending on fabric and cut. Jeans are pants made out of denim or corduroy, while leggings are close-fitting pants, often made out of a stretchy material like spandex.An article of clothing that is identical to pants but stops at or before the knee is referred to as a pair of shorts.

    • Used in a sentence: She bought three new pairs of pants to wear with her new sweater.
    Among British English speakers, trousers is used to describe this article of clothing. Pants is used specifically to refer to undergarments, especially long drawers worn by men.

    Etymology

    Origin of pants

    1830–40; short for pantaloons

    Example Sentences

    Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

    She was wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue pants and white-and-black New Balance shoes.

    From Los Angeles Times

    Among the new nonnegotiables: fleece vests instead of jackets and elastic waistbands instead of “hard pants,” i.e., anything with a zipper.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    Mr. Le Tellier takes an archivist’s approach, including reproductions of documents, letters and photographs of Chaix, a handsome young man who wore T-shirts tucked into darted pants.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    “I’ll be there this time,” said Logan, who was eating healthy watermelons before the game but wearing his usual short pants during the game on a night to remember.

    From Los Angeles Times

    An owner once spread bacon grease on his pants.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    Related Words

    • knickers
    • shorts
    • slacks
    • trousers
    • underpants

    Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

    Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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