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Undershirt

Apparel
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A shirt worn next to the skin beneath another garment; in poetry, an undershirt can denote layers of clothing, suggesting vulnerability, intimacy, or the ordinary act of dressing, often used to ground a character in the mundane.

Detailed Definition
An undershirt is a lightweight inner shirt worn for warmth, modesty, or protection of outer clothing. It is usually unseen, yet it absorbs sweat and preserves the layers presented to the world. In poetry, this hidden garment can stand for private effort, bodily truth, or the intimate evidence of a long day. A visible collar or damp fabric may puncture an appearance of composure with ordinary human vulnerability.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Beneath his shirt, the white undershirt held the warmth of the morning”; An undershirt can represent an ordinary layer that makes a character feel physically real; “Her undershirt smelled faintly of soap, rain, and the house she had left”; A poem may use the visible edge of an undershirt to suggest informality, vulnerability, or a hurried departure
Additional Notes
An undershirt is a lightweight shirt worn next to the skin beneath another garment. It can absorb perspiration, provide warmth, and reduce fabric irritation or transparency. Common forms include sleeveless undershirts, tank tops, and short-sleeved base layers.
Also Known As
Singlet Vest Undervest Sark
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