Middle English Dictionary Entry
dīaper n.
Entry Info
| Forms | dīaper n. Also diapre, diapur. |
| Etymology | OF dïapre, var. of dïaspre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A textile fabric (?of silk) having a repeated pattern of figures or geometrical designs; (b) a garment of this fabric; (c) ~ cloth, a diapered piece of cloth; ~ werk, diapered fabric.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (1297) Visit.St.Paul in Camd.n.s.5541 : Alius pannus de dyaper rubeo stragulato..Aliud frontale de dyaper rubeo stragulato. ]
- c1390 Disp.Christian & J.(Vrn)200 : Þer was mony a derworþe dame In Dyapre dere.
- (1437) Will York in Sur.Soc.3062 : Cum duobus towels de diaper.
- (1438) Will Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.4330 : A pece of dyapr of x yardes long of Table Cloth.
- (c1450) Invent.Catherine in SANHS 7102 : iiij autre clothes, iij of diapur and one of pleyn cloth.
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57364 : xj Flemyshe stykes of fyne dyapere, almost iij stykes brode, prise the styk, ij s. vj d.
- (?1474) Stonor1.147 : ij borde cloþes of dyaper.
- a1475 Lovely lordynges (Brog 2.1)p.4 : The hyllynges thereof schal be blewe, And dyaper with aser hew.
b
- c1330 Degare (Auch)802 : A dammeisele of gret honour..In a diapre cloþed ȝhe was.
c
- (1419) *Will Bury155 : A towayll of diapr' werk.
- (1447) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 11117 : iij towayles of diapurwerk.
- (1472) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum7 : Item, ij dyaper clothes fyne of vi yerds a pece.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1475 Gawain & CC (Brog 2.1)608 : The wallys glemyd as any glasse, Wyth dyapir colour wrouȝte hit was Of golde, asure, and byse.
Note: New combination under sense (c), used attributively as are the other examples in that sense, ~ colour, variegated color arranged in a pattern.--per MLL