释义 |
▪ I. knitting, vbl. n.|ˈnɪtɪŋ| [f. as prec. + -ing1.] 1. a. The action of the verb knit. Fastening in or with a knot, tying, binding, conjunction, compacting, etc. lit. and fig.
a1420Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 4542 Opne hem [bags]; hir knyttynge al to sore annoyeth. c1430Life St. Kath. (1884) 42 Þe lawfull knyttyng of matrimony. 1550Bale Image Both Ch. (1560) A iij, The very complete summe and whole knyttyng up. 1617Bp. Hall Quo Vadis? §4 Wks. (1628) 691 Blossomes..nipped..with an Aprill frost when they should come to the knitting. 1874Green Short Hist. iii. §4. 131 The knitting of Christian nations together into a vast commonwealth. †b. concr. A tie, fastening, knot (lit. and fig.). Obs.
13..Sir Beues (MSS. S. and N.) 149/3220 On hur gurdul ȝhe made a knyttyng riding [other MSS. knotte riding], Aboute his necke ȝhe hit þrew Him to honge hard and fast. 1495Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. xvii. clxxiv. (W. de W.) V iv b/1 Bendes and knyttynges [Bodley MS. knyttels] made to bynde vp vynes. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 96 Betweene the knittynges Flowers of Golde. 1610P. Barrough Meth. Physick i. xxv. (1639) 43 Apply it to the Hanches, and to the..Knittings of the joynts. c. A girl or girls. slang.
1943C. H. Ward-Jackson Piece of Cake 39 Knitting, girl or girls. 1946J. Irving Royal Navalese 104 Knitting, girls in the plural. The singular of this is ‘A Piece of Knitting’. 1962Granville Dict. Sailors' Slang 68/2 Knitting, girl friend or girls collectively. 2. a. spec. The formation of a fabric by looping (see quot. 1883). b. concr. Work so done or made, knitted work.
1711Addison Spect. No. 108 ⁋3 A Pair of Garters of his own knitting. 1880M. E. Braddon Just as I am vii, Aunt Dora was occupied with her knitting. 1882Caulfeild & Saward Dict. Needlework s.v., The art of Knitting was unknown in England until the sixteenth century. 1883Chambers' Encycl. V. 810 Knitting consists in using a single thread, and with it forming a continual series of loops across the whole fabric; the next row [of loops] passes through these; and they in their turn receive another set, until the whole is completed. 1892Mrs. Alexander For his Sake I. 220 Please bring me my knitting. 3. attrib. and Comb., as knitting bag, knitting bee, knitting book, knitting-cotton (cotton thread for knitting), knitting frolic, knitting machine, knitting-mill, knitting pattern, knitting-silk, knitting wire, knitting wool, knitting-work; knitting-case, (a) = knitting-sheath; (b) a case for keeping knitting-needles in; † knitting-cup, a cup of wine handed round at a marriage feast; knitting-pin, † knitting-prick, knitting-wire = knitting-needle; knitting sheath, a cylindrical sheath for holding a knitting-needle steady in the act of knitting; knitting-stick, an elongated form of the knitting-sheath. Also knitting-needle.
1789W. Cowper Let. 31 Jan. in Corr. (1904) III. 347 A basket..[which] contained..a *Knitting bag, and a piece of plumcake. 1939J. Cary Mister Johnson 209 The accomplished..traveller..sets up her household, complete with family and knitting bag, even in trains and tram shelters. 1971A. Christie Nemesis ii. 20 Taking her knitting out of its embroidered knitting bag.
1851Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib. 786 Complete fancy *knitting-basket.
1855Chicago Times 19 Mar. 2/6 This girl had been at a *knitting bee, at the house of a friend. 1880Harper's Mag. Sept. 508/1 In winter they sometimes had knitting bees.
1843A. Lambert (title) My *knitting-book. 1873Young Englishwoman June 311/3 We must refer you to Madame Goubaud's Knitting and Netting Book. 1973Horne & Bowden Bk. Knitting & Crochet i. 10 The contents of the knitting books of the 1840s differed greatly from those of today.
1851Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib. 785 *Knitting cases. 1888E. Eggleston Graysons xxx. 332 She paused to take the end of one needle out of the quill of her knitting-case.
1851Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib. 1106 *Knitting and sewing cotton yarn.
1632B. Jonson Magn. Lady iv. ii, Doe, doe, and mind The Parsons pint..A *knitting Cup there must be.
1818H. B. Fearon Sk. Amer. 223 They are invited to the preacher's house, to partake of a supper... This is termed a *knitting frolic.
1858*Knitting-machine [see knitted]. 1875Knight Dict. Mech. I. 1236/2 The Bickford knitting-machine..is a specimen of the circular system. 1927M. Ostenso Mad Carews (1929) iv. 44 Her mother had sent to the city for a knitting machine in the hope that she might be able to supply her neighbours with woollen socks. 1974Times 12 Feb. 11/5 He started..with a couple of hand frame knitting machines.
1898Folk-lore Sept. 219 The old *knitting-parties which once formed centres of social life in winter evenings.
1885C. M. Yonge Nuttie's Father ii. i. 7, I couldn't get a *knitting pattern Miss Headworth was to send Lady Ronnisglen. 1961M. Stewart Ivy Tree iii. 46 The colourless voice..might have been discussing a knitting pattern. 1973‘J. Ashford’ Double Run xi. 85 Nina, at a critical point in the intricate knitting pattern,..dropped a stitch.
1857C. M. Yonge Dynevor Terrace I. iv. 49 He had in the other pocket..wools.. the long *knitting-pins under his arm like a riding-whip. 1870M. Bridgman R. Lynne I. xi. 178 The..click of the knitting-pins ceased.
1597Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1860) 283, ij lbs. and a half of *knitting prickes 2s. 1d.
1755Smollett Quix. (1803) IV. 82 In making *knitting-sheaths and plain-work. 1867‘T. Lackland’ Homespun i. 23 A great tear trembles on her cheek as she adjusts her needle in the knitting sheath she wears.
1897Sears, Roebuck Catal. 321/2 *Knitting and Crochet Silk..is used for knitting mittens, stockings and other articles which require washing.
1850Rep. Comm. Patents 1849 (U.S.) 491 The needle itself, and thimble will be exhibited in museums with distaffs, spinning-wheels, *knitting-wires, [etc.]. 1860Geo. Eliot Mill on Fl. III. vi. vi. 87 Maggie's ball of *knitting-wool rolled along the ground. 1965A. Christie At Bertram's Hotel xii. 114 She had a splendid time rounding up knitting patterns, new varieties of knitting wool, and suchlike delights.
1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xix. 187 Miss Ophelia..pulled out her *knitting-work, and sat there, grim with indignation. ▪ II. knitting, ppl. a.|ˈnɪtɪŋ| [f. as prec. + -ing2.] That knits, in various senses: see the verb.
1387–8T. Usk Test. Love Prol. (Skeat) I. 3 The deliciousnesse of iestes and of ryme, by queynt knittinge coloures. 1587Golding De Mornay x. (1617) 152 The knitting parts, that is to wit, the bones, the skin, the sinewes and such like. 1599A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 342/2 Knitting and congealinge Playsters. 1815Byron Parisina x, With downcast eyes and knitting brow. 1837H. Martineau Soc. Amer. III. 88 Four knitting young ladies and their knitting mother. |