[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

dress \dress\ dre^s, v. t. imp.  p. p. dressed
   dre^st or drest; p. pr.  vb. n. dressing. of.
   drecier to make straight, raise, set up, prepare, arrange, f.
   dresser, assumed ll. directiare, fr. l. dirigere, directum,
   to direct; dis- + regere to rule. see right, and cf.
   address, adroit, direct, dirge.
   1. to direct; to put right or straight; to regulate; to
      order. obs.
      1913 webster

            at all times thou shalt bless god and pray him to
            dress thy ways.                       --chaucer.
      1913 webster

   note: dress is used reflexively in old english, in sense of
         "to direct one's step; to address one's self."
         1913 webster

               to grisild again will i me dresse. --chaucer.
         1913 webster

   2. mil. to arrange in exact continuity of line, as
      soldiers; commonly to adjust to a straight line and at
      proper distance; to align; as, to dress the ranks.
      1913 webster

   3. med. to treat methodically with remedies, bandages, or
      curative appliances, as a sore, an ulcer, a wound, or a
      wounded or diseased part.
      1913 webster

   4. to adjust; to put in good order; to arrange; specifically:
      a to prepare for use; to fit for any use; to render
          suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready; as, to
          dress a slain animal; to dress meat; to dress leather
          or cloth; to dress or trim a lamp; to dress a garden;
          to dress a horse, by currying and rubbing; to dress
          grain, by cleansing it; in mining and metallurgy, to
          dress ores, by sorting and separating them.
          1913 webster

                and the lord god took the man, and put him into
                the garden of eden to dress it.   --gen. ii. 15.
          1913 webster

                when he dresseth the lamps he shall burn
                incense.                          --ex. xxx. 7.
          1913 webster

                three hundred horses . . . smoothly dressed.
                                                  --dryden.
          1913 webster

                dressing their hair with the white sea flower.
                                                  --tennyson
          .
          1913 webster

                if he felt obliged to expostulate, he might have
                dressed his censures in a kinder form.
                                                  --carlyle.
      b to cut to proper dimensions, or give proper shape to,
          as to a tool by hammering; also, to smooth or finish.
      c to put in proper condition by appareling, as the body;
          to put clothes upon; to apparel; to invest with
          garments or rich decorations; to clothe; to deck.
          1913 webster

                dressed myself in such humility.  -- shak.
          1913 webster

                prove that ever idress myself handsome till thy
                return.                           --shak.
      d to break and train for use, as a horse or other
          animal.
          1913 webster

   to dress up or to dress out, to dress elaborately,
      artificially, or pompously. "you see very often a king of
      england or france dressed up like a julius caesar."
      --addison.

   to dress a ship naut., to ornament her by hoisting the
      national colors at the peak and mastheads, and setting the
      jack forward; when dressed full, the signal flags and
      pennants are added. --ham. nav. encyc.

   syn: to attire; apparel; clothe; accouter; array; robe; rig;
        trim; deck; adorn; embellish.
        1913 webster
see also:
dressed drest dressing right address adroit 
direct dirge to dress up to dress out to dress a ship 

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