dress down
The phrase "dress down" can refer to either a form of reprimand or a style of casual dressing, depending on the context.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)To reprimand or scold someone harshly.
Example
- The manager dressed down the employee for missing the deadline.
B1General
(informal)To wear casual or informal clothes.
Example
- On Fridays, we can dress down and wear jeans to the office.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "dress down":
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