Drape VS curtain

[url=]HERE'S[/url] my earlier response. In addition, 'drapery' is the uncountable form.

There's not much difference regarding the basic meaning of the words. Drape(s) are curtains usually made of heavy cloth.

Of course there are other meanings for both words. You should consult your dictionary for those other meanings.

Thanks

Do you mean to say that drapery is a collective noun?

UK usage differs from that in the US, I believe. In the UK, the usual term for the pieces of material that one uses to obscure windows is "curtains". To me, "drapes" suggests something especially thick or heavy, or made of some special or fancy material, or in some other way unusual.

Mr WordyTo me, "drapes" suggests something especially thick or heavy

To me as well, and yet in a theatre one always speaks of the curtain going up or down, not the drape, in spite of the great heaviness of such an enormous piece of fabric. Strange.

CJ

CalifJimTo me as well

Oh, right. For some reason I thought that you folks in the US used "drapes" as the standard word.

Do you mean to say that drapery is a collective noun?-- No. A collective noun is a team of horses, a pride of lions.

I'm confused if drapery is uncountable why does it have a plural form: draperies!

AH020387why does it have a plural form: draperies!

True. It can be either.

The following could mean the same thing. All the drapes in the house need to be cleaned.

The drapery needs to be cleaned.
The draperies need to be cleaned.

At least that's the usage I'm most familiar with.

CJ