Emily Dickinson Lexicon

ROBE, n. [Fr. robe; Sp. ropa; Port. roupa; Ir. roba; It. roba, a robe, and goods or estate; far roba, to get money; robone, a long gown; robbiccia, trifles, idle stuff. The Spanish and Portuguese words signify clothing in general, cloth, stuff, wearing apparel, also a loose garment worn over the rest, a gown; Sp. ropage is wearing apparel, drapery; roperia, the trade of dealers in clothes. In Sp. and Port. then the word coincides with the Fr. drap, Eng. drapery and frippery. In Sax. reaf is clothing in general, and spoil, plunder, from reafian, to rob. From these facts, let the reader judge whether this word had its origin in rubbing, like wearing apparel, or from stripping, the name being originally given to skins, the primitive clothing of rude nations.]

1. A kind of gown or long loose garment worn over other dress, particularly by persons in elevated stations. The robe is properly a dress of state or dignity, as of princes, judges, priests, &c. See Exod. xxix. 55. 1 Sam. xxiv. 4. Matth. xxvii. 28.
2. A splendid female gown or garment. – 2 Sam. xiii.
3. An elegant dress; splendid attire.
4. In Scripture, the vesture of purity or righteousness, and of happiness. – Job xxix. Luke xv.