Cōat1, n.
(20), n. [Fr. cotte, petticoat, cotte d’armes, coat of arms, cotte de mailles, coat or frock of mail, O. Fr. cote, Sp. & Pg. cota, It. cotta, Pr. coita and cot, an upper garment, gown, from L. Lat. cota, cotta, cottus, tunic, mattress.]
Sense 1. An outer garment worn by men upon the upper part of the body, over the waistcoat.
Sense 2. A petticoat; a garment worn by infants or young children;—usually in the plural. [Obs.] “A friend’s younger son, a child in coats, was not easily brought to his books.” Locke.
Sense 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. Swift.
Sense 4. An external covering, like a garment, as the fur or hair of a beast, the skin of serpents, and the wool of sheep. Milton.
Sense 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; a coat of tin-foil.
Sense 6. That on which ensigns armorial are portrayed.
Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, Or tear the lions out of England’s coat. Shak.
Sense 7. One of the figured cards on which a king, queen, or knave is represented.
Here’s a trick of discarded cards of us; we were ranked with coats as long as old master lived. Massinger.
Coat of arms. (Her.) (a.) A habit formerly worn by knights over their armor. It was a short-sleeved coat or tunic reaching to the waist, and embroidered with their armorial ensigns and various devices. (b.) Any representation of the armorial devices upon such a habit; an armorial device.—Coat of mail, a piece of armor covering the upper portion of the body, consisting of a net-work of iron rings.