> as lemmas

1701 G. Farquhar Sir Harry Wildair ii. i. 12 Something was the matter, I wanted of Quality-Air.

1706 R. Estcourt Fair Example i. i. 10 Your Quality Lady, when she speaks, 'tis thus.

1748 S. Richardson Clarissa III. xxxv. 183 His relations do not despise the fugitive, as persons of their rank and quality-pride might be supposed to do.

1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle III. xc. 257 Peregrine found some ladies of his quality-acquaintance.

1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle II. lxxiii. 281 The influence of Peregrine's new quality-friends.

1768 Woman of Honor I. 134 She is so stark quality-mad.

1784 R. Bage Barham Downs I. 233 My Lady's passion for quality living.

1786 A. Mackenzie Gamesters I. 139 To every coffee-house at this quality-end of the town.

1810 S. Green Romance Readers & Romance Writers I. v. 87 She knew but little of fashionable life, and thought every thing that was practised by her quality friend must be right.

1819 Metropolis (ed. 2) III. 149 The quality-end of the town.

1835 W. Irving Beauties 221 Mrs. Lamb, when she had no engagements with her quality acquaintance, would give..tea junkettings.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. ii. ii. 104 Young..men, with quality-blood in them, poisoned with quality-pride.

1864 Atlantic Monthly Feb. 174/1 She was a sweet-spoken young thing,—not like Miss Hammond, with her proud, quality airs.

1868 Atlantic Monthly Jan. 104/1 Quality ladies took their bitters regular.

1891 Field 7 Mar. 334/2 Quite a quality horse is Gratian.

1908 J. M. Sullivan Criminal Slang 1 A quality gentleman, a gentleman by birth and education.

1966 K. L. Morgan in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 603/1 I never questioned the implication that..my white ancestors were ‘quality’ whites.

2004 S. Olson Children of God go Bowling vi. 84 They would all nod and agree that he was ‘quality’ or ‘a quality person’. This puzzled me... We never discussed who was ‘quality’.