Clothing, n.
1. Garments in general; clothes; dress; raiment; covering. From others he shall stand in need of nothing, Yet on his brothers shall depend for clothing. Milton. As for me, . . . my clothing was sackloth. Ps. xxxv. 13
2. The art of process of making cloth. [R.] Instructing [refugees] in the art of clothing. Ray.
3. A covering of non-conducting material on the outside of a boiler, or steam chamber, to prevent radiation of heat. Knight.
4. (Mach.)
1 more senses
See Card clothing, under 3d Card.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for clothing; he lists it under dress.
Where he writes about it:
Clothing denotes the entire covering of the body, taken as a whole; clothes and garments view it as composed of separate parts. — from dress
Clothes, clothing, and garments may be used of inner or outer covering; all the other words in the list (with possible rare exceptions in the case of raiment) refer to the outer garments. — from dress
Apparel and attire are most frequently used of somewhat complete and elegant outer clothing, tho Shakespeare speaks of "poor and mean attire." Dress may be used, specifically, for a woman's gown, and in that sense may be either rich or shabby; but in the general sense it denotes outer clothing which is meant to be elegant, complete, and appropriate to some social or public occasion; as, full dress, court dress, evening dress, etc. — from dress
Garb denotes the clothing characteristic of some class, profession, or the like; as, the garb of a priest. — from dress