English edit

Noun edit

gym knickers pl (plural only)

  1. (UK) Large girls' underpants traditionally worn as shorts during school sports activities.
    • 1989, Roald Dahl, Matilda:
      "But instead of going there, I sneaked into the Trunchbull's room. And after a speedy search I found the drawer where she kept all her gym knickers."
    • 1993 October 11, Angela Lambert, The Independent:
      I never knew why they singled me out, though at the time I believed it was because my mother made me wear green gym knickers and everyone else's were navy or white.
    • 2010 December 5, Gail Emms, The Guardian:
      I remember being forced to do cross-country runs in horrible navy gym knickers, which is a nightmare when you're not exactly built like Paula Radcliffe [...].