1 C1 formal
In a military context, to align oneself correctly in a formation by reference to the soldier on one's flank.
"The sergeant ordered the recruits to dress off to the right and maintain proper spacing."
dress off
C1 formal intransitive
A military command to align properly in a formation relative to the person on one side.
In plain English
A military instruction to line up neatly and make sure you are in the correct position in a row of soldiers.
What does "dress off" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To dress (align) yourself off — away from — a reference point.
Actually means
A military instruction to line up neatly and make sure you are in the correct position in a row of soldiers.
Usage tip
Highly specialised military terminology. Rarely encountered outside military training, historical writing, or novels set in a military context. Not used in everyday civilian speech.
Words that pair with "dress off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
ranks formation parade line file soldiers
How to conjugate "dress off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
dress off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
dresses off
he/she/it
Past simple
dressed off
yesterday
Past participle
dressed off
have + pp
-ing form
dressing off
continuous
Hear "dress off" in the wild
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