Drab?

[RachelPortugal]

I had never used this term before seeing it on this forum and it was readily apparent what it meant, or so I thought.

I love doing cryptic crosswords and a clue the other day caused me to refer to an old dictionary, where I came across the word "drab".

Drab was listed as both an adjective and a noun.

Adjective meaning: Of a dull brown colour.

So perhap that fits with its usage in this forum.

Noun meaning: A ****tish woman; a strumpet; a thick woollen cloth of a dun colour; a dull brownish colour.

Now look up the definitions of "****tish" and "strumpet", whoah.

I am sure that the word is only ever used in its adjective form on this forum, but we may wish to think twice before using the term in future. Although some of us could be described as looking like a drab at times when en femme.

Not guilty?

[Mirani]

DRAB = Dressed As A Boy
DRAG = Dressed As A Girl (or if FtM .. Dressed as a Guy )
DRAW = Dressed As A Woman
DRAT = Dressed As A Tart

[Kate Simmons]

Mirani is correct and they tell me that goes way back to the play bills in Shakespeare's day since no women were on stage at that time.

[Gerrijerry]

I agree with Mirani
That is the way I saw the word when it was used.
But maybe it should be D.R.A.B.

[CallMeMeg]

Dunno about the rest of you, but when I am in drab, I feel drab. Maybe we need another word for drag that conveys the excited way I feel when dressed.

On a related language note, I have a new customer. Her name is Gaye. She introduced herself by shaking my hand, looking me in the eye and saying "Hi. I'm Gaye." I was SO tempted to say "Hi. I'm transgendered."

But I didn't.

[Angiemead12]

DRAB = Dressed As A Boy
DRAG = Dressed As A Girl
DRAW = Dressed As A Woman
DRAT = Dressed As A Tart

I just learned something new!

Nice mini.

[juno]

I didn't know these abbreviations either. I think that means they should really be used all-caps, especially to avoid confusion with DRAB versus the word "drab".

Obviously, DRAM (dressed as a man) is missing. I assume that the original playbill didn't have this, because it was the default dress mode. Now that these are used for transgender, we should have a DRAM.

Juno

[KayleeDahl]

I learned something new too! made sense before, even more now!

Hugs
Kaylee

[Loni]

words such a strange thing, as the given meaning changes every so often.

me i have no problem using "drab" as a way to say dressed as a guy.

.

[TonyaV]

Just make sure we write them all in caps to emphasize on the fact they're acronyms rather than words.

[Mirani]

Lets not get leagalistic on DRAB / D.R.A.B. / Drab / drab.

To be honest, if the word is used here we all know it means "standard guy mode" and "not CDing".

As long as we "get it" .. who cares how it is written?

[t-girlxsophie]

Talk about over-thinking something

[sissystephanie]

Talk about over-thinking something

Isn't that what women do?

[Rianna Humble]

The meaning that gave Rachel pause for thought seems to have been used in a specific context of when men would "go a wenching".

However, I did find two other definitions that are appropriate when we use it to mean DRessed As Boy:

lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise

depressing in character or appearance

[RachelPortugal]

DRAB = Dressed As A Boy
DRAG = Dressed As A Girl (or if FtM .. Dressed as a Guy )
DRAW = Dressed As A Woman
DRAT = Dressed As A Tart

Well you learn something new everyday, although the FtM part is totally inaccurate as these acronyms are supposedly from Shakespearean times when females were not allowed on the stage.

It is strange that I was not aware of terms as I have a daughter who is a stage actress. In her younger days she often played some challenging boy roles and the term DRAB was never mentioned.

[CallMeMeg]

I know when I'm in DRAB, I feel drab. It's a good acronym.

[SuzanneBender]

Who allowed all of the English majors on this board?! I thought we were all amateur psychologists and wanna be writters....oh errr wait. I just answered my question.

For future readers of my posts:

en drab = dressed as a male (note: most men's clothing is drab in color hence the definition of drab)

en femme = dressed as a female

Note to the notes: I use "en" because it sounds French and that's always kinda cool