noun
drape
drayp
noun
1
A curtain, or heavy cloth hung over a window or doorway.
"She pulled the drapes shut to block the morning sun."
2
The way a piece of fabric hangs or falls.
"The designer praised the elegant drape of the silk gown."
verb
1
To cover or arrange loosely, as with cloth.
"He draped a blanket over his shoulders."
"She draped her coat over the back of the chair."
2
To hang or rest loosely over something.
"His arm draped casually over the sofa."
How to Use Drape
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs a noun, a curtain or the way fabric hangs; as a verb, to cover or hang something loosely over something else.
UK vs US
American English uses "drapes" for curtains far more than British English, which usually just says "curtains."
Common pairings
draped in
velvet drapes
the drape of a dress
Word Forms
draped past tense, drapes plural, drapes singular
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She pulled the _____ shut to block the morning sun.
Etymology
From Old French draper, "to full cloth," from drap ("cloth"), ultimately from a Germanic root meaning "to beat or strike" — the same root behind English "drub."