COAT, n.

1. An upper garment, of whatever material it may be made. The word is, in modern times, generally applied to the garment worn by men next over the vest. God made coats of skin and clothed them. – Gen. iii. Jacob made Joseph a coat of many colors. – Gen. xxxvii. He shalt put on the holy linen coat. – Lev. xvi. Goliath was armed with a coat of mail. – 1 Sam. xvii.
2. A petticoat; a garment worn by infants or young children. – Locke.
3. The habit or vesture of an order of men, indicating the order or office. Men of his coat should be minding their prayers. – Swift. So we say, “men of his cloth.”
4. External covering, as the fur or hair of a beast, the skin of serpents, the wool of sheep, &c. – Milton.
5. A tunic of the eye; a membrane that serves as a cover; a tegument. – Derham.
6. The division or layer of a bulbous root; as, the coats of an onion.
7. A cover; a layer of any substance covering another; as, a coat of tar, pitch, or varnish; a coat of canvas round a mast; a coal of tin-foil.
8. That on which ensigns armorial are portrayed, usually called a coat of arms. Anciently knights wore a habit over their arms, reaching as low as the navel, open at the sides, with short sleeves, on which were the armories of the knights, embroidered in gold and silver, and enameled with beaten tin of various colors. This habit was diversified with bands and fillets of several colors, placed alternately, and called devises, as being divided and composed of several pieces sewed together. The representation of these is still called a coat of arms.
9. A coat of mail, is a piece of armor, in form of a shirt, consisting of a net-work of iron rings.
10. A card; a coat-card, is one on which a king, queen, or knave is painted.

1. To cover or spread over with a layer of any substance; as, to coat a retort; to coat a ceiling; to coat a vial.
2. To cover with cloth or canvas; as, to coat a mast or a pump.

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.
   Milton.

2. To cover with a coat or outer garment.
3. A petticoat.
   
   
   [Obs.] "A child in coats." Locke.
4. To cover with a layer of any substance] as, to coat a jar with tin foil; to coat a ceiling.
5. The habit or vesture of an order of men, indicating the order or office; cloth.
   
   

   Men of his coat should be minding their prayers.
   Swift.

   She was sought by spirits of richest coat.
   Shak.

6. 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.
   Milton.

7. 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.
8. Same as Coat of arms. See below.
   
   

   Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight,
   Or tear the lions out of England's coat.
   Shak.

9. 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.
   Massinger.

   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.'" Rowley. -- 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.