Coat n. 1.An outer garment fitting the upper part of the body; especially, such a garment worn by men. "Let each His adamantine coat gird well."
2.A petticoat. (Obs.) "A child in coats."
3.The habit or vesture of an order of men, indicating the order or office; cloth. "Men of his coat should be minding their prayers." "She was sought by spirits of richest coat."
4.An external covering like a garment, as fur, skin, wool, husk, or bark; as, the horses coats were sleek. "Fruit of all kinds, in coat Rough or smooth rined, or bearded husk, or shell."
5.A layer of any substance covering another; a cover; a tegument; as, the coats of the eye; the coats of an onion; a coat of tar or varnish.
6.Same as Coat of arms. See below. "Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, Or tear the lions out of England's coat."
7.A coat card. See below. (Obs.) "Here's a trick of discarded cards of us! We were ranked with coats as long as old master lived."
Coat armor. See under Armor. Coat of arms (Her.), a translation of the French cotte d'armes, a garment of light material worn over the armor in the 15th and 16th centuries. This was often charged with the heraldic bearings of the wearer. Hence, an heraldic achievement; the bearings of any person, taken together.
Coat card, a card bearing a coated figure; the king, queen, or knave of playing cards. "'I am a coat card indeed.' 'Then thou must needs be a knave, for thou art neither king nor queen.'"
Coat link, a pair of buttons or studs joined by a link, to hold together the lappels of a double-breasted coat; or a button with a loop for a single-breasted coat.
Coat of mail, a defensive garment of chain mail. See Chain mail, under Chain. Mast coat (Naut.), a piece of canvas nailed around a mast, where it passes through the deck, to prevent water from getting below.
Sail coat (Naut.), a canvas cover laced over furled sails, and the like, to keep them dry and clean.
Mail n. 1.A flexible fabric made of metal rings interlinked. It was used especially for defensive armor.
Chain mail, Coat of mail. See under Chain, and Coat. 2.Hence generally, armor, or any defensive covering.
3.(Naut.) A contrivance of interlinked rings, for rubbing off the loose hemp on lines and white cordage.
4.(Zool.) Any hard protective covering of an animal, as the scales and plates of reptiles, shell of a lobster, etc. "We... strip the lobster of his scarlet mail."
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