sleeve

sleeve — noun

1. on a shirt, dress, jacket, or similar garment, the fabric that goes over your ar

1.nounA2
Definition

on a shirt, dress, jacket, or similar garment, the fabric that goes over your arm, from the shoulder down to the wrist or anywhere in between.

Example

Christopher rolled up his sleeves before starting to wash the dishes.

collocation: roll up one's sleeves

The tailor measured Wren's arm to make sure the sleeve length was correct.

collocation: sleeve length

Common collocations
  • long sleeve
  • short sleeve
  • rolled-up sleeve
  • shirt sleeve
  • coat sleeve
  • roll up sleeves
  • sleeve length
  • sleeve button

Grammar Patterns

[garment] sleeve

sleeve of [garment]

Usage Note

Frequently used in compound adjectives such as 'long-sleeved,' 'short-sleeved,' and 'rolled-up sleeves.'

Common Mistakes

He wiped his nose on the sleeve of his coat.
He wiped his nose on his coat sleeve.
native speakers strongly prefer the compound form '[garment] sleeve' over 'sleeve of [garment].'

2. a flat cover made of paper, cardboard, or plastic that holds a record, CD, DVD,

2.nounB1
Definition

a flat cover made of paper, cardboard, or plastic that holds a record, CD, DVD, book, or similar flat item and keeps it from getting dirty or damaged.

Example

Ziad pulled the old vinyl record from its paper sleeve to play on the turntable.

collocation: paper sleeve / record sleeve

The librarian placed each DVD back into its plastic sleeve after checking it in.

collocation: plastic sleeve

Common collocations
  • record sleeve
  • paper sleeve
  • plastic sleeve
  • DVD sleeve
  • inner sleeve
Synonyms
  • jacket

    specifically for books and records; 'jacket' is slightly more formal

  • cover

    more general; can refer to any protective outer layer, not just flat ones

Grammar Patterns

[record/DVD/book] sleeve

Usage Note

Most commonly refers to the paper cover of a vinyl record ('record sleeve'), but also used for CD, DVD, and book covers.

3. a tube made of rubber, metal, or another material, placed around a cable, pipe,

3.nounB2
Definition

a tube made of rubber, metal, or another material, placed around a cable, pipe, or axle inside a device to protect it from heat, rubbing, or other harm.

Example

The mechanic replaced the rubber sleeve around the brake cable on Mateo's bicycle.

collocation: rubber sleeve

Tanvi noticed that the metal sleeve on the exhaust pipe had started to rust.

collocation: metal sleeve

Common collocations
  • rubber sleeve
  • metal sleeve
  • protective sleeve
  • cable sleeve
  • pipe sleeve
Synonyms
  • casing

    general term for any protective outer layer; less specific than 'sleeve' for tube shapes

  • sheath

    usually tight-fitting and for sharp objects like blades, not typically for machine parts

Grammar Patterns

[rubber/metal] sleeve

sleeve around [machine part]

Usage Note

The object that the sleeve surrounds is typically long and cylindrical — a cable, pipe, axle, or shaft.

4. a large tattoo or a set of tattoos that covers most or all of a person's arm fro

4.nounB2
Definition

a large tattoo or a set of tattoos that covers most or all of a person's arm from the shoulder down to the wrist.

Example

Amira spent over twenty hours at the tattoo studio completing her floral sleeve.

collocation: floral sleeve

The swimmer's sleeve featured a detailed koi fish stretching from his shoulder to his elbow.

Common collocations
  • tattoo sleeve
  • floral sleeve
  • full sleeve
  • half sleeve
  • sleeve tattoo
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] sleeve

Usage Note

Only used for tattoos that cover the whole or most of the arm; a small individual tattoo on the arm is not called a sleeve.

Common Mistakes

I got a small sleeve on my wrist.
I got a small tattoo on my wrist.
a 'sleeve' specifically means a tattoo covering most or all of the arm, not any arm tattoo.
Idioms

roll up your sleeves

idiom

to prepare yourself to work hard or to get involved in a difficult or physical task with energy and determination.

When the community centre needed painting, Élise rolled up her sleeves and spent the whole weekend helping out.

If we want to finish this project on time, we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

have something up your sleeve

idiom

to have a secret plan, idea, or piece of information that you keep hidden so that you can use it later to gain an advantage.

The other team seemed confident, but our coach had a surprise strategy up his sleeve.

I do not know what Amira has up her sleeve, but she seems very sure the plan will work.

wear your heart on your sleeve

idiom

to openly show your feelings and emotions to other people rather than hiding them.

Eri wears her heart on her sleeve — everyone in the office could tell she was upset about the news.

You never have to guess how Tanvi is feeling because she wears her heart on her sleeve.

laugh up your sleeve

idiom

to be secretly amused about something while appearing serious on the outside.

When the boss tripped over the cable, Tyler laughed up his sleeve while helping him up with a straight face.

The students thought the teacher had not noticed their prank, but she was laughing up her sleeve the whole time.

an ace up your sleeve

idiom

A hidden advantage or secret resource that you can use when needed.

Maya kept an ace up her sleeve for the final negotiation.

Does Brian have an ace up his sleeve to win the game?

have a card up your sleeve

idiom

To have a secret plan or idea that gives you an advantage.

Sara always has a card up her sleeve during debates.

Did Diego have a card up his sleeve when he made that offer?

have/keep something up your sleeve

idiom

To keep a plan or idea secret until you need to use it.

Min kept her resignation letter up her sleeve for months.

Do you have any new ideas up your sleeve for the project?

laugh up your sleeve (at somebody/something)

idiom

To secretly find something amusing, often at someone else's expense.

Sara laughed up her sleeve when her rival tripped on stage.

Diego was laughing up his sleeve at the boss's silly mistake.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sleeve, cuff, hem, and collar all name parts of a garment, but each refers to a different area. A sleeve is the section that covers the arm, from the shoulder downward. A cuff is the band of material at the end of a sleeve (or at the bottom of a trouser leg). A hem is the folded and sewn edge at the bottom of a shirt, skirt, or pair of trousers. A collar is the part that goes around the neck. So while all four are garment sections, sleeve is the only one that involves the arm. For example: 'The tailor shortened the sleeves on my jacket to show the shirt cuffs underneath.'

cuffhemcollar ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'sleeve' comes from Old English slīef(e), meaning 'arm-covering,' related to an ancient Germanic root that carried the idea of slipping something on or off. It has referred to the part of a garment that covers the arm since before the 12th century. The modern spelling became standard in Middle English.