lawn sleeves

American

noun

(used with a plural verb) the sleeves of lawn forming part of the dress of an Anglican bishop.
(used with a singular verb) the office of an Anglican bishop.
(used with a singular or plural verb) an Anglican bishop or bishops.

Etymology

Origin of lawn sleeves

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There would be mention of the bishops in their lawn sleeves, the judges in their ermine robes, the pillory, the stocks, the treadmill, the cat-o’-nine-tails, the Lord Mayor’s Banquet, and the practice of kissing the Pope’s toe.

From Literature

She held up her hands, strong, shapely hands, and surveyed them critically, drawing up her lawn sleeves above the wrists.

From Literature

Lawn′y.—Lawn sleeves, wide sleeves of lawn worn by Anglican bishops.

From Project Gutenberg

The image-breaker is exalted above my Lord Bishop in all his glory of lawn sleeves and piety in uniform by men like Wanless and his friends.

From Project Gutenberg

Read by you or not, Thomas Wanless's story I must write, for it is a story that all the upper powers of these realms would do well to ponder—from the serene defenders of the faith, with their high satellite, lord bishops in lawn sleeves, downwards.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023