To clothe means to put clothes on someone or to provide them with clothing. Parents clothe their children each morning, helping younger kids get dressed and making sure older ones have appropriate outfits for school. When charities clothe families in need, they provide shirts, pants, coats, and other garments so people have what they need to stay warm and comfortable.

The word often appears in its past tense form, clothed. You might read that a character in a story was clothed in royal robes, or that refugees were clothed and fed by volunteers. When we say someone is well-clothed, we mean they have adequate, appropriate clothing.

Clothe can also mean to cover or surround something completely, similar to how clothes cover your body. Trees clothed in autumn leaves create beautiful fall scenery. Hills might be clothed in wildflowers each spring. In these cases, something covers the surface so thoroughly that it's like the landscape itself is wearing a colorful outfit.