dress vs trim

dress

noun
  • Apparel or clothing, especially when appropriate for a particular occasion, profession, etc. 

  • The external appearance of something, especially if intended to give a positive impression; garb, guise. 

  • The external covering of an animal (for example, the feathers of a bird) or an object. 

  • An item of clothing (usually worn by a woman or young girl) which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist. 

  • The appearance of an object after it has undergone some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use; finish. 

verb
  • To ornament (a ship) by hoisting the national colours at the peak and mastheads, and setting the jack forward; when "dressed full", the signal flags and pennants are added. 

  • To prepare (food) for cooking or eating, especially by seasoning it; specifically, to add a dressing or sauce (to food, especially a salad). 

  • To attire oneself for a particular (especially formal) occasion, or in a fashionable manner. 

  • To prepare (a set) by installing the props, scenery, etc. 

  • To attire (oneself or someone) for a particular (especially formal) occasion, or in a fashionable manner. 

  • To prepare, treat, or curry (animal hide or leather). 

  • To prepare the surface of (a material, usually lumber or stone). 

  • Of a sportsperson: to put on the uniform and have the equipment needed to play a sport. 

  • To prepare (an artificial fly) to be attached to a fish hook. 

  • Of a thing: to attain a certain condition after undergoing some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use. 

  • To arrange a display of goods in, or to decorate (a shop or shop window). 

  • To arrange or style (someone's hair). 

  • To cultivate or tend to (a garden, land, plants, etc.); especially, to add fertilizer or manure to (soil); to fertilize, to manure. 

  • To fit or prepare (something) for use; to render (something) suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready. 

  • To put clothes (or, formerly, armour) on (oneself or someone, a doll, a mannequin, etc.); to clothe. 

  • To remove chaff or impurities from (flour, grain, etc.) by bolting or sifting, winnowing, and other methods. 

  • To cut up (an animal or its flesh) for food; specifically (hunting), to remove the internal organs (of a game animal) shortly after it has been killed so that the carcass cools more quickly; to field dress. 

  • To design, make, or prepare costumes (for a play or other performance); also, to present (a production) in a particular costume style. 

  • To apply a dressing to or otherwise treat (a wound); (obsolete) to give (a wounded person) medical aid. 

  • To arrange (soldiers or troops) into proper formation; especially, to adjust (soldiers or troops) into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other; to align. 

  • To put on clothes. 

  • To allow one's penis to fall to one side or the other within one's trousers. 

  • To design, make, provide, or select clothes (for someone). 

  • Of soldiers or troops: to arrange into proper formation; especially, to form into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other. 

  • To adorn or ornament (something). 

  • Of an animal carcass: to have a certain quantity or weight after removal of the internal organs and skin; also, to have a certain appearance after being cut up and prepared for cooking. 

trim

noun
  • Dress; gear; ornaments. 

  • The fore-and-aft angle of the vessel to the water, with reference to the cargo and ballast; the manner in which a vessel floats on the water, whether on an even keel or down by the head or stern. 

  • The mechanism(s) used to trim an aircraft in roll, pitch, and/or yaw. 

  • The arrangement of the sails with reference to the wind. 

  • A haircut, especially a moderate one to touch up an existing style. 

  • Sexual intercourse. 

  • Decoration; especially, decoration placed along edges or borders. 

  • The manner in which something is equipped or adorned; order; disposition. 

  • The state of adjustment of control surfaces such that the desired attitude can be maintained without requiring the continuous application of force to the cockpit controls. 

adv
  • In good order; properly managed or maintained. 

  • With sails well trimmed. 

verb
  • To modify the angle relative to the water by shifting cargo or ballast; to adjust for sailing; to assume, or cause to assume a certain position, or trim, in the water. 

  • To reduce slightly; to cut; especially, to remove excess. 

  • To modify the angle (of the sails) relative to the wind, especially to set them at the most advantageous angle. 

  • To adjust the positions of control surfaces, sometimes using trim tabs, so as to modify or eliminate the aircraft's tendency to pitch, roll, or yaw when the cockpit controls are released. 

  • To decorate or adorn; especially of a Christmas tree. 

  • To cut back the wick of (a lamp) to maintain a clean, bright flame. 

  • To make trim; to put in due order for any purpose; to make right, neat, or pleasing; to adjust. 

  • To dress; to make smooth. 

  • To change the carbon rods of (an arc lamp). 

adj
  • Physically fit. 

  • Neat or smart in appearance. 

  • Slender, lean. 

How often have the words dress and trim occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )