摘要：再如：a piece of cloth（一块布），three yards of cloth（3码布），a roll of cloth（一卷布），等等。

◆cloth 的用法

1. 表示“布”“衣料”，是不可数名词。如：

She bought some cloth to make herself a dress.

她买了些布要给自己做一件连衣裙。

再如：a piece of cloth（一块布），three yards of cloth（3码布），a roll of cloth（一卷布），等等。

She began cleaning the wound with a piece of cloth.

她开始用一块布清洗伤口。

2. 表示用作某种特殊用途的布（如桌布台布，揩布等）或一块块的布，是可数名词。如：

He shoved a cloth in my hand.

他往我手中塞了块布。

Clean the metal with a soft dry cloth

用柔软的干布擦拭金属。

She took a cloth and wiped down the kitchen table.

她拿了一块布把厨房桌面擦得干干净净。

Wipe the surface with a damp cloth.

用湿布擦拭表面。

Clean the surface with a damp cloth.

用湿布清洁表面。

Clean the windows with a soft cloth. 用块软布擦窗子。

He worked as a door-to-door salesman peddling cloths and brushes.

他的工作是上门推销抹布和刷子。

The box was covered with a black cloth by the magician. 盒子被魔术师盖上黑布。

He was holding a cloth that dripped pink drops upon the floor.

他正拿着一块布，布上粉红色的水滴落在地板上。

再如：a tablecloth（桌布），a dishcloth（洗碟布），a face cloth（洗脸毛巾），等等。

◆clothes的用法

1. 是衣服的统称，是复数名词；不仅包括coat, shirt, dress等这样的“衣服”，而且还包括 trousers, socks等穿在身上的所有东西。

Moira walked upstairs to change her clothes.

莫伊拉上楼去换衣服。

She wears those strange clothes just to get herself noticed.

她穿那些奇装异服不过是想引人注意而已。

His clothes, though old and worn, looked clean and of good quality.

他的衣服虽然很旧，但看上去干干净净，质地很好。

I didn't have enough clothes to last a week.

我的衣服不够一周穿的。

The clothes she wears are much too young for her.

她穿的衣服显得过于年轻了。

She's very particular about her clothes.

她对衣着特别挑剔。

Your clothes are often a reflection of your personality.

穿着常常反映出一个人的个性。

She likes nice clothes and things like that.

她喜欢漂亮衣服之类的东西。

She dressed the children in their best clothes.

她给孩子们穿上了最漂亮的衣服。

Clothes are a safe bet as a present for a teenager.

衣服适合作为送给十几岁孩子的礼物。

2. 表示“衣服”，是一个没有单数形式的复数名词，其前不可加不定冠词，也不可加数词，但可用 some, these, those, many, (a) few等词修饰。如：

Take some spare clothes in case you get wet.

多带几件衣服，以备身上弄湿了好穿。

She started on at me again about getting some new clothes.

她又就买新衣服的事情数落起我来。

I bought some new clothes for the trip.

我为这次旅行买了一些新衣服。

I need to buy some clothes. 我需要买些衣服。

These clothes wash well. 这些衣服经洗。

You look rather shabby in those clothes. 你穿着那种衣服显得很寒酸。

I don’t have many clothes for summer. 我夏天穿的衣服不多。

As a student she lived very economically, rarely going out and buying very few clothes.

作为学生，她过得很节约，很少外出，也难得买衣服。

I'm taking a few clothes and some books, not much else.

我带了几件衣服和一些书，别的就不多了。

3. 虽然不受数词的修饰，但使用代词时可用ones。如：

When he got a job in a bank, he had to wear formal clothes instead of informal ones.

他在银行谋了份工作后不得不把非正式衣服换成正式衣服。

4. 可受某些名词修饰，表示不同用途的衣服，如school clothes（校服），sports clothes（运动服），work clothes（工作服），play clothes（休闲服）等。

To avoid confusion, please write the children's names clearly on all their school clothes.

为避免搞错，请在孩子所有的校服上写清楚他们的姓名。

She changed back into her work clothes.

她又换上了工作服。

He donned work clothes and a wicker helmet.

他穿上工作服，戴上柳条帽。

它还可以受季节名词修饰，表示不同季节穿的服装，如spring clothes（春装）、summer clothes（夏装）、autumn clothes（秋装）、winter clothes（冬装）。

另外还有men’s clothes（男装），women’s clothes（女装），children’s clothes（童装）等，但是“婴儿服装”却是baby clothes，通常不说babies’ clothes。

Children's wear is one area that is holding up well in the recession.

童装是经济衰退中仍然保持良好发展的一个领域。

5. 表示一套衣服，可以借助suit或set。如：

George is wearing a new suit of clothes. 乔治穿着一套新衣服。

I’m going to take a set of clean clothes with me. 我要带一套干净的衣服。

I might need a spare set of clothes

我可能需要一套备用的衣服。

Bring a change of clothes with you.

你要带上一套换洗衣服。

Take a change of clothes with you.

带上一套替换的衣服。

你要带上一套换洗衣服。

She packed a change of clothes for the weekend.

她已收拾好度周末的一套换洗衣物。

Please bring your swimsuit and a change of clothes.

请带上你的泳衣和换洗的衣服。

clothing 不可数名词，表示所穿的衣服，是一个更正式的词：(尤指某种)服装；

它通常是食物、水、被服、药物、首饰等相对应的“服装”的一个总称。

Human beings need food, clothing and shelter.

人类有衣、食、住的需求。

The appeal produced a rich harvest of blankets, medicines and clothing.

呼吁的成果颇丰，收到了大批毛毯、药物和衣服。

Clothing prices have not inflated as much as automobiles.

服装价格的涨幅不及汽车那么高。

They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.

他们不得不去寻找衣服和燃料。

My wife was fussing over the food and clothing we were going to take

我太太正在忙乱地准备我们要带的食物和衣服。

They have been forced to sleep in the open without food or warm clothing

他们被迫风餐露宿，吃不饱也穿不暖。

Workers should wear full protective clothing.

工人应该穿着全套防护服。

On dark nights children should wear reflective clothing.

在漆黑的夜晚，儿童应该穿可以反光的衣服。

Breathable, waterproof clothing is essential for most outdoor sports.

大多数户外运动衣服必须透气且防水。

Their clothing is primarily functional and only secondarily decorative.

他们的衣服首先重实用，其次才讲花式。

Cotton clothing allows your skin to breathe.

棉织品能使皮肤透气。

In warm weather, you should wear clothing that is cool and comfortable.

在热天里，应该穿凉快舒适的衣服。

He took off his wet clothing 他脱下湿衣服。

prison clothing (囚衣)。在不太正式的场合，可以用

a piece of clothing, an article of clothing 或 an item of clothing来指a garment, 但在日常会话中，通常说出所指服装的名称。

Some locals offered food and clothing to the refugees.

一些当地人为难民们提供食品和衣服。

an item/article of clothing

一件衣服

He stuffed a bag with a few changes of clothing.

他往包里塞了几套换洗衣服。《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

a wolf in sheep's clothing

披着羊皮的狼；伪装成朋友的敌人;貌善心毒的人,伪君子

这个短语最早出现在圣经中的一句话，"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves"（《圣经·马太福音》7:15）。这句话的意思是要小心那些外表善良的伪先知，他们表面上看起来像绵羊，但内心却是贪婪的狼。例：

He seemed like a friendly neighbor, but he turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, stealing from everyone in the neighborhood.

他看起来像个友好的邻居，但事实证明他是个伪装成绵羊的狼，偷窃邻居们的东西。

The priest at our church seemed to be a very warm and caring man, but we later found out that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

我们教堂里的牧师看起来是个很热情很有同情心的人，但后来我们发现他其实是个披着羊皮的狼。

The company presented itself as a charitable organization, but it was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing, using the donations for personal gain.

这家公司把自己宣传为一个慈善组织，但实际上是一个伪装成绵羊的狼，利用捐款谋取私利。

People in our town suspected that Henry was a wolf in sheep's clothing, but I think they were wrong.

我们镇上的人们怀疑亨利是披着羊皮的狼，但我认为他们是错的。

She appeared innocent and naive, but she was a wolf in sheep's clothing, manipulating others for her own benefit.

她看起来天真无邪，但实际上是个伪装成绵羊的狼，为了自己的利益而操纵他人。

She said I was a wolf in sheep's clothing because I dumped her.

因为我把她甩了，她说我是披着羊皮的狼。

The politician promised to bring positive change, but he turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, engaging in corrupt practices.

这位政治家承诺带来积极的变革，但事实证明他是个伪装成绵羊的狼，参与腐败行为。

She didn't realize her stepfather was a wolf in sheep's clothing until he had killed her mother.

直到他的继父杀死了她的母亲，她才发现他根本就是披着羊皮的狼。

相当于“衣冠禽兽”：Satan in a smock，例：

He's a Satan in a smock.

他是衣冠禽兽。

Haven't you realized he is a satan in a smock? He is cheating you!

你还没有意识到他是个衣冠禽兽吗？他在骗你！

来源：翅膀英语一点号