shirtsleeven.
/ˈʃəːtsliːv/, U.S. /ˈʃərtˌsliv/ 1. A sleeve on a shirt.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > clothing for body or trunk (and limbs) > [noun] > shirt > part of > sleeve
shirtsleeve1530
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 729 Who hath spotted your shyrte sleve with ynke?
?1567 Merie Tales Master Skelton sig. Bvii The hostler was in hys Ierkyn, and hys shirte sleues wer aboue his elbowes.
1612 H. Peacham Gentlemans Exercise viii. 27 [Bathers depicted as] surprized by the enemy, where you might see one putting his head into his shirt sleeue for hast.
1758 Philos. Trans. 1757 (Royal Soc.) 50 108 His shirt-sleeve, and the upper part of his waistcoat, were reduced to tinder.
1859 ‘G. Eliot’ Adam Bede I. i. iv. 69 He..threw off his jacket, and began to roll up his shirt-sleeves again.
2004 E. Reid D.B. 5 He pushed up his shirtsleeve and read the rules he'd ballpointed across his wrist.
2. In plural, denoting the fact or state of wearing a shirt with nothing over it. Chiefly in in (one's) shirtsleeves (often in contexts implying hot or pleasant weather or conditions).
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [adjective] > wearing clothing for body (and limbs) > wearing a coat > not
in (one's) shirtsleeves1789
coatless1823
shirt-sleeved1834
uncoated1853
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > clothing for body or trunk (and limbs) > [noun] > shirt > part of > sleeve > with reference to absence of coat
shirtsleeves1789
1789 J. Woodforde Diary 30 July (1927) III. 126 The latter was..working in his garden in his Shirt Sleeves.
1832 F. Trollope Domest. Manners Amer. (ed. 2) II. xxv. 56 I saw one man..take off his coat that he might enjoy the refreshing coolness of shirt sleeves.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. iv. viii. 277 In their shirt-sleeves, coat flung loosely round the neck.
1977 Times 29 Oct. 5 (caption) A Panama hat and shirtsleeves for the Duke of Edinburgh in the tropical sun.
2005 Independent 24 Oct. 7/2 Even with air-conditioning in the theatre, the audience were in shirt-sleeves this summer and we were in dinner suits, slaving away playing Verdi.
Phrases
Originally U.S. Proverb. (from) shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves (in three generations) and variants: wealth gained in one generation of a family will be lost by the third generation.Expressing the idea that the first generation of a family will acquire wealth through hard work, the second will live an affluent life but lack a strong work ethic, and, as a result, by the third generation, the family will be reduced to their original circumstances. [Sometimes attributed to Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919), Scottish-born American manufacturer and philanthropist, who is reported to have used the saying on several occasions (see, e.g., quot. 1886), but there is no evidence that it was coined by him. Compare (from) clogs to clogs (in three generations) at clog n. Additions.]
ΚΠ
1874 Appleton’s Jrnl. 27 June 802/3 In America, where there are ‘but three generations from shirt-sleeves to shirt-sleeves’, the whole of a son's fortune is well spent upon his training, though he must go out into life with the tastes of a gentleman, and no income to support them.
1886 A. Carnegie Triumphant Democracy (1887) xvi. 253 There are but three generations in America from shirt sleeves to shirt sleeves. Under such conditions an aristocracy of wealth is impossible.
1960 News Farmer Cooperatives June 8/2 From shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves?.. Mr. Benham..gives us some reminders of what farmers went through to build today's cooperatives, and then presents some challenges to today's third generation on their preservation.
2019 Lehigh Valley Business (Nexis) 8 Nov. The melancholy aphorism from ‘shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations’ describes how too many family businesses transition from start up to tear down by the time the founder's grandchildren are ready to move into the corner office.
Compounds
C1. General use as a modifier (in sense 1), as in shirtsleeve button, shirtsleeve cuff, etc.
ΚΠ
1756 Public Advertiser 9 Mar. A very large broad Pair of silver Shirt Sleeve Buttons.
1795 E. Darwin Let. 9 Mar. (2009) 470 Ground into a shape like a shirt-sleeve stud.
1899 Delineator June 687/1 The sleeve is in one-piece shirt-sleeve style.
1975 E. A. Worrell Early Amer. Costume v. 103 Buttoned slits..revealed the shirt sleeve ruffle.
2011 G. David Immortalists xx. 94 His initials were on his shirt sleeve cuffs in a dull ebony.
C2. As a modifier (in singular or plural): hard-working, workmanlike; down-to-earth; (also) characterized by informality or directness (often in shirtsleeve (also shirtsleeves) diplomacy).
a. In singular.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > care, carefulness, or attention > [adjective] > diligent or industrious
busyOE
swinkfulOE
laboriousa1393
virtuousc1450
eident1529
operose1546
laboursome1552
industrious1591
work-likea1642
work-brittle1647
notable1666
nitle1673
hard-working1682
worksome1830
shirtsleeve1864
workful1875
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > [adjective] > not formal
informalc1475
rough and ready1860
shirtsleeve1896
society > authority > rule or government > politics > [noun] > political actions or practice > types of
practical politics1709
theopolitics1736
Realpolitik1872
shirtsleeve (also shirtsleeves) diplomacy1896
power politics1901
armed response1904
politricks1908
Machtpolitik1916
power play1941
telepolitics1958
marketization1961
gender politics1977
1864 G. A. Sala in Daily Tel. 21 Sept. 5/4 The people are going to elect shirt-sleeve aldermen that work all day.
1896 Daily Republican (Defiance, Ohio) 12 May (heading) Shirt-sleeve diplomacy don't suit the English snobs.
1908 Pall Mall Gaz. 20 Apr. 2/2 The Congressmen have a preference for what they picturesquely describe as ‘Shirtsleeve Ambassadors’—men who they think will labour for their country's interests and scorn social fascinations.
1967 Boston Sunday Herald 26 Mar. i. 44/2 (advt.) A ‘self-starter’ and a guy who will fit into a small shirtsleeve agency.
2013 Wall St. Jrnl. 11 June a16/1 Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Obama emerged from their ‘shirt-sleeve summit’ on the weekend touting new cooperation.
b. In plural.
ΚΠ
1896 Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago) 18 May 6/6 In the reference to ‘shirt-sleeves diplomacy,’ the London Globe, no doubt, means to rebuke Uncle Sam for taking off his coat in the Venezuelan matter.
1907 Burlington Mag. Nov. 124/2 The shirt-sleeves strata of our civilization.
1924 D. H. Lawrence & M. L. Skinner Boy in Bush 11 The shirt-sleeves familiarity, the shabby clothes.
1979 G. Seymour Red Fox iii. 44 [He] would have given much to have exchanged the brilliance of the surroundings for a shirtsleeves working area.
2001 Daily Mail (Nexis) 19 Dec. 70 He would tackle aggressors with gusto and direct all energies towards a stout defence of his stewardship of the [football] club. It was Tony Blair-style shirtsleeves diplomacy.
C3. As a modifier (in singular or plural): designating hot, warm, or pleasant weather or conditions (cf. sense 2).
a. In singular.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > hot weather > [adjective]
warmc888
hotOE
tropic1764
tropical1788
subtropical1829
shirtsleeve1877
Thermidorian1891
1877 Russellville (Arkansas) Democrat 22 Feb. Shirt-sleeve weather.
1994 Denver Post 15 Sept. b1/1 It was a shirt-sleeve morning.
b. In plural.
ΚΠ
1894 Davenport (Iowa) Sunday Leader 5 Aug. 2/2 It is shirt sleeves weather.
1974 Financial Times 17 June 26/4 A personnel transfer chamber from which technicians can enter the work enclosure in shirt-sleeves conditions.
2017 C. Stross Delirium Brief vi. 184 Persephone has the climate control in the Range Rover set to a comfortable shirtsleeves temperature.
C4.
shirtsleeve order n. originally Military (chiefly British) the wearing of uniform without a jacket.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [noun] > wearing other clothing
shawling1815
petticoating1850
shirtsleeve order1854
overclothing1859
layering1966
layer dressing1975
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [noun] > for specific people > for members of a body or association > naval, military, etc. > types of
regimentals1728
undress1748
regiments1759
regimental1764
dress uniform1774
kit1785
roast beef coat1802
butternut1810
frock-uniform1810
fatigue-dress1834
fatigue1836
fatigue-uniform1836
shirtsleeve order1854
grey1862
scarlet runnerc1864
square-rig1875
rig of the day1877
swagger-dress1901
trench coat1914
hospital blue1919
romper1922
suntan1937
battle-dress1938
army greens1945
mess kit1953
tiger suit1970
1854 Farmer's Mag. Aug. 95/1 We should be much surprised to see our cavalry regiments turn out for parade in shirt sleeve order.
1968 J. Lock Lady Policeman viii. 60 My serge skirt feels heavy, my feet feel hot and sticky. Still, we are lucky to have shirt-sleeve order—the PCs haven't and look as if they are about to expire.
1979 ‘J. D. White’ Brandenburg Affair iv. 37 Colonel Petrov..was another huge man...Even in shirt-sleeve order..his massive arms..gave him an air of permanence.
2007 J. Strawson Hussars, Horses, & Hist. v. 38 Immaculate in shirt-sleeve order with crossbelt superbly blancoed, boots like glass and cap badge gleaming.
Derivatives
ˈshirt-sleeved adj. (of a person) wearing a shirt without a coat, jacket, etc.; often connoting either informality or pleasantly warm conditions.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [adjective] > wearing clothing for body (and limbs) > wearing a coat > not
in (one's) shirtsleeves1789
coatless1823
shirt-sleeved1834
uncoated1853
1834 Foreign Q. Rev. May 338 A many-storied house,..crammed full of shirt-sleeved sons of Minerva.
1889 D. C. Murray & H. Murray Dangerous Catspaw 30 Esden, sitting shirtsleeved in his apartments.
1964 K. Hanson Rebels in Streets i. 2 The shirt-sleeved men playing poker on the sidewalk in the gaudy glare of the candy store window.
2001 Automobile Mag. Nov. 73/1 They seem to love candid, shirt-sleeved, good-humored Zetsche, even when he dishes up another round of layoffs and plant closures.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1530