the cloth
The textile piece
The cloth refers to the clergy as a profession or calling, especially in Christian churches.
A man of the cloth is a priest, minister, or other religious official.
The phrase derives from the distinctive garments worn by clergy.
The term carries a slightly formal or old-fashioned tone: He had served the cloth for forty years.
- canvasHeavy woven cloth
- cottonPlant fiber for textiles
- vestmentsCeremonial religious attire
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- denimTough cotton twill
linen · ministry · muslin · ordained · ecclesiastical · calling · silk · liturgy · vocation · polyester · bolt of fabric · velvet · pulpit · wool · swatch · habit · satin · vicar
- metonymsWall Street, Hollywood, Capitol Hill, Downing Street, Westminster
spiritual authority
the clothlaypeople
Those outside a profession
secular life · civilian life · civil government · common people · parishioners
cloth, the, clothes, clothing, clothe, clothed, tablecloth, unclothed, washcloth