trousers

trousers

trou‧sers S2 /ˈtraʊzəz $ -ərz/ BrE AmE noun [plural] especially British English
[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: trouse 'trousers' (14-19 centuries), from Scottish Gaelic triubhas]
a piece of clothing that covers the lower half of your body, with a separate part fitting over each leg SYN pants American English:
His trousers were slightly too short.
I need a new pair of trousers for work.
—trouser adjective [only before noun]:
The tickets are in my trouser pocket.
⇨ wear the trousers at ↑wear¹(7), ⇨ catch somebody with their trousers down at ↑catch¹(6)

pants

I. pants¹ S3 /pænts/ BrE AmE noun [plural]
[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: pantaloons]
1. especially American English a piece of clothing that covers you from your waist to your feet and has a separate part for each leg SYN trousers British English:
She was wearing dark blue pants and a white sweater.
2. British English a piece of underwear that covers the area between your waist and the top of your legs SYN underpants American English ⇨ knickers, briefs, boxer shorts
3. bore/scare etc the pants off somebody informal spoken to make someone feel very bored, very frightened etc:
She always bores the pants off me.
4. beat the pants off somebody American English spoken to defeat someone very easily in a game or competition SYN thrash
5. somebody puts his pants on one leg at a time American English spoken used to say that someone is just like everyone else:
Go on, ask him for his autograph – he puts his pants on one leg at a time just like you do.
6. (since somebody was) in short pants British English informal since someone was a very young boy:
I’ve known Eric since he was in short pants.
⇨ do something by the seat of your pants at ↑seat¹(10), ⇨ catch somebody with their pants down at ↑catch¹(6), ⇨ wear the pants/trousers at ↑wear¹(7)