What does "sleeve" mean?
The part of a garment that covers the arm.
Sleeve
noun, verb
noun, verb ·1 syllable ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The part of a garment that covers the arm.
- Grammar: sleeve is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: arm, arm covering, casing, cover.
- Useful contrasts: bare arm, bare object, expose.
- Usage evidence: I'm sure he has something up his sleeve.
How to use "sleeve"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sleeve" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sleeve" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sleeve" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sleeve" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sleeve" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "arm" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sleeve", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The part of a garment that covers the arm.
"The sleeves on my coat are too long."
- 2 the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm wordnet
- 3 A (usually tubular) covering or lining to protect a piece of machinery etc.
"This bearing requires a sleeve so the shaft will fit snugly."
- 4 small case into which an object fits wordnet
- 5 A protective jacket or case, especially for a record, containing art and information about the contents; also the analogous leaflet found in a packaged CD.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A tattoo covering the whole arm.
- 7 A narrow channel of water.
"Even from Southhampton ' s shore through Wilts and Somerset The Attrebates in Bark unto the bank of Tames Betwixt the Celtic sleeve and the Sabrinian streams"
- 8 Sleave; untwisted thread.
- 9 A serving of beer smaller than a pint, typically measuring between 12 and 16 ounces. British-Columbia
"For example, you may serve a patron a 12 oz sleeve of beer and a 5 oz glass of wine (or alternately 1.5 oz spirits) at the same time."
- 10 A long, cylindrical plastic bag of cookies or crackers, or a similar package of disposable drinking cups. US
"A three-alarm fire tore through a family home on Newark's East Side early Saturday morning, completely gutting the two-story residence and tragically claiming a half-sleeve of Oreo cookies that was trapped inside a cupboard."
- 11 A double tube of copper into which the ends of bare wires are pushed so that when the tube is twisted an electrical connection is made. The joint thus made is called a McIntire joint.
Verb
- 1 To fit and attach a sleeve to an upper garment (e.g. to a shirt, blouse, sweater, jacket, coat, etc.) or to a folder. transitive
- 2 To hide something up one's sleeve.
"There are certain types of sleeving that are difficult to perform with the shirt sleeves down, and it is difficult and risky to attempt sleeving while wearing a shirt with "French" cuffs."
Antonyms
Example
"I'm sure he has something up his sleeve."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sleeve"?
Common synonyms include: arm, arm covering, casing, cover, encase, enclose.
How do you use "sleeve" in a sentence?
I'm sure he has something up his sleeve.
Etymology
From Middle English sleve, slefe, from Old English slīef and slīefe (“sleeve”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Sleeuwe (“sleeve”), West Frisian slúf, Dutch sloof (“apron”), Low German sluve, dialectal German Schlaube. The Canadian sense of “measure smaller than a pint” is due to a former conflict between federal law and provincial law in British Columbia. According to federal law, a pint must be 20 imperial ounces (~568 ml), but according to provincial law at the time, the maximum individual serving size was 500 ml, so an individual portion could not be called a “pint” in British Columbia, and required a different term. The provincial law has been changed, allowing servings of up to 24 oz (~682 ml), but the term remains in use. The term sleeve itself for a cylindrical glass of beer is also found in the UK and Australia (as sleever), and may be due to stacked glasses resembling a sleeve.