Work Clothes & Gear — A2 Essential Words

apron /ˈeɪprən/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: A piece of clothing worn over the front of the body to protect clothes while cooking, cleaning, or working, tied at the back.

Example: The cook wore an apron.

Another example: Put on an apron before baking.

Collocations: an apron · wear an apron · apron on

Synonyms: cover, smock, bib (for babies)

Word family: aprons (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Airports use its twin for the concrete where planes park — cooks and captains share tarmac vocabulary. 'Apron strings' are what grown children cut, by idiom.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its pockets hold every kitchen's small tools.

Register: Neutral — work essential.

mask /mɑːsk/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: A covering worn over the face for protection (from dust, illness, chemicals), for celebration (costumes), or to hide identity; also to cover something (verb).

Example: Workers wear masks in the factory.

Another example: She put on a face mask.

Collocations: a mask · face mask · wear a mask

Synonyms: covering, respirator, disguise

Word family: masks (n pl) · mask (v) · masked (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: 2020 made it the world's most debated garment. Theater's masks (comedy/tragedy) are its ancient ceremonial parents.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Masking' feelings is its psychology branch — faces hide twice.

Register: Neutral — work essential.

badge /bædʒ/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: A small object worn on clothing showing a person's name, job, rank, or membership; also an achievement symbol in games and apps.

Example: The officer showed his badge.

Another example: Her name badge says Lily.

Collocations: a badge · name badge · police badge

Synonyms: ID card, pin, insignia

Word family: badges (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Scouts collect its cloth kind; apps hand out its digital kind. This very site awards XP badges — the word is already on your progress page.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Badge of honor' turns teasing into pride in four words.

Register: Neutral — work essential.

tools /tuːlz/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: Objects held in the hand and used to make, repair, or build things — hammers, screwdrivers, and drills; also the software and means for any job ('the tools of the trade').

Example: He keeps his tools in a red box.

Another example: Language is a writer's tool.

Collocations: tools in · the tools · power tools

Synonyms: equipment, instruments, gear

Word family: tool (n singular) · toolbox (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Singular TOOL, but workers count their wealth in the plural. Software renamed its menus after the box (toolbar, toolbox).

🗣 In spoken American English: 'The tools of the trade' means every profession's essentials.

Register: Neutral — work essential.

vest /vest/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: A piece of clothing without sleeves worn over a shirt; safety workers wear bright ones (a safety vest); in British use it also means an undershirt.

Example: The worker's orange vest glows.

Another example: He wore a vest under his jacket.

Collocations: a safety vest · vest over · wear a vest

Synonyms: waistcoat (formal British), jacket (sleeveless), gilet

Word family: vests (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Transatlantic trap: American VEST = British WAISTCOAT (formal) — while British VEST = American undershirt. Road workers' hi-vis kind ended the argument with neon.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its bulletproof branch (the vest again) saves officers silently.

Register: Neutral — work essential.

suit /suːt/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: A formal set of clothes — a jacket and matching trousers (or skirt) worn for business and ceremonies; also one of the four sets in playing cards, and a legal case (lawsuit).

Example: He wore a dark suit to the interview.

Another example: The suit cost three hundred dollars.

Collocations: a suit · wear a suit · suit and tie

Synonyms: business clothes, outfit (formal), two-piece

Antonyms: casual clothes

Word family: suits (n pl) · suit (v) · suitable (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Cards (hearts, spades), courts (lawsuits), and offices (the clothes) share one spelling. 'Suit yourself' means do as you like — the verb loosened into manners.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its fitting is adulthood's portrait session.

Register: Formal — work essential.

overalls /ˈəʊvərɔːlz/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: A piece of clothing consisting of trousers with a front part covering the chest, held up by straps over the shoulders, worn by workers and children; in Britain also a protective coat-like garment.

Example: The painter wore blue overalls.

Another example: Farmers live in overalls.

Collocations: overalls · a pair of overalls · in overalls

Synonyms: dungarees (UK, dated), bib overalls, coveralls (full)

Word family: overalls (n plural form) · overall (adj — total)

⚠ Common mistake: Denim's most honest garment — Mario and farmers share the uniform. Its adjective twin OVERALL means 'in total' ('the overall cost').

🗣 In spoken American English: Painters' white ones are a trade flag.

Register: Neutral — work staple.

scrubs /skrʌbz/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: The loose, comfortable clothes (a top and trousers) worn by doctors, nurses, and surgeons in hospitals, usually green or blue.

Example: The nurse changed into scrubs.

Another example: Surgeons operate in scrubs.

Collocations: scrubs · in scrubs · wear scrubs

Synonyms: uniform, medical clothes, greens

Word family: scrubs (n plural form) · scrub (v — to clean hard; the clothes' origin!)

⚠ Common mistake: Named for the scrubbing-in ritual before surgery. TV dramas made them the most recognized uniform on Earth; their colors code hospital departments.

🗣 In spoken American English: Comfort made them pajama-fashion outside hospitals too.

Register: Neutral — work (medical) staple.

robe /rəʊb/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: A long loose piece of clothing worn at home after a bath or for ceremonies; judges and graduates wear formal robes, and bathrobes are its home form.

Example: The judge wore a black robe.

Another example: She wrapped her bathrobe tight.

Collocations: a robe · bathrobe · judge's robe

Synonyms: gown, dressing gown (UK), wrap

Word family: robes (n pl) · robed (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Ceremony and comfort share its folds: graduation stages and Sunday mornings both dress in it.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its hotel kind (white, belted) is luxury's uniform for doing nothing.

Register: Neutral — work and home staple.

costume /ˈkɒstjuːm/ noun A2 Jobs

Meaning: The clothes worn by actors in plays and films to look like their characters; also special clothes worn for parties and Halloween.

Example: The actors wore costumes from 1850.

Another example: Her Halloween costume was a witch.

Collocations: a costume · costume party · in costume

Synonyms: outfit (stage), dress, disguise

Word family: costumes (n pl) · costumer (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Actors live in it half the year. 'Costume jewelry' is its glamorous fake branch — pretty, proudly not real.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its designers win Oscars beside the actors.

Register: Neutral — fun essential.