| 释义 |
dimity|ˈdɪmɪtɪ|
Forms: 5 demyt, 6 dimite, 7 dimmety, dimmity, dimetty, 8 demity, dimitty, 8– dimity.
[In 15–16th c. demyt, dimite, a. It. dimito ‘a kind of coarse cotton or flanell’ (Florio 1598), ‘a kind of course linzie-wolzie’ (ibid. 1611) = med.L. dimitum (12th c. in Du Cange), ad. Gr. δίµιτος of double thread, n. dimity, f. δι-, δίς twice + µίτος thread of the warp. It is not certain how the final -y arose: could it represent It. pl. dimiti? Cf. the plural in Du Cange's quot.: ‘amita, dimitaque, et trimita’, explained to mean fabrics woven with one, two, or three threads respectively. The relation to these of the Persian word dimyāṭī, explained as ‘a kind of cotton cloth, dimity’, which has the form of a derivative of Dimyāṭ, Damietta, is not clear.]
A stout cotton fabric, woven with raised stripes or fancy figures; usually employed undyed for beds and bedroom hangings, and sometimes for garments.
1440in E. Peacock Eng. Ch. Furniture, Lincolnsh. 182 A vestment of white demyt for lenten and vigils. 1570Campion in Hakluyt Voy. (1599) II. i. 127 We do vse to buy many of their silke quilts, and of their Scamato and Dimite, that the poore people make in that towne [Scio]. 1632Lithgow Trav. viii. 358 A hundred Camels loaden with Silkes, Dimmeties, and other Commodities. 1636Davenant Witts (1673) 171 A Book wrapt up in Sea-green Dimmity. c1710C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 236 A half bedstead as the new mode, dimity wth fine shades of worstead works well made up. 1743Fielding Jon. Wild i. x, His waistcoat was a white dimity, richly embroidered with yellow silk. 1819Byron Juan i. xii, Her morning dress was dimity. 1879E. Garrett House by Works I. 97 Else..washed the pretty dimities oftener than even Lois thought necessary. 1880G. C. M. Birdwood Ind. Arts II. 76 Fustians, dimities and vermilions from cotton-wool had been made in London and in Manchester from 1641.
b. attrib. Made of dimity.
1639Mayne City Match i. iv, Thy dimity breeches. 1762Gentl. Mag. 204 Put on a dimitty waistcoat. 1856Miss Mulock J. Halifax 114 Some sort of white dimity gown that she wore. 1861Mrs. Carlyle Lett. III. 79 In our white dimity beds. 1876M. E. Braddon J. Haggard's Dau. I. 108 The dimity window curtains. |