taillen.
1. Cut, shape, form; shape of the bust from the shoulders to the waist; figure, build, make. In Dress-making, the waist or bodice of a gown; the style or fit of this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > [noun]
featurec1325
making1340
staturec1380
statea1387
bonea1400
figurec1400
makec1425
corpulence1477
corsage1481
makdom1488
mouldc1550
corporature1555
frame1566
dimension1600
limit1608
set1611
timber1612
compact1646
taille1663
fabric1695
moulding1815
physique1826
tournure1827
build1832
form1849
body type1866
body build1907
somatotype1940
size1985
1663 S. Pepys Diary 13 July (1971) IV. 230 Mrs. Steward..with her sweet eye, little Roman nose, and excellent Taille, is now the greatest beauty I ever saw.
1697 J. Vanbrugh Relapse iv. 84 You wou'd not think it impossible a Person of a worse Taille than mine, might be a modern Man of Quality.
2. In old French law, a tax: see tail n.2 2b.
3. Music. (See quot. 1944.)
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > [noun] > instrument for middle part
mean?a1400
taille1842
society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > singing > singing voice > [noun] > tenor
tenor1388
tenorya1500
tenore1740
taille1842
Heldentenor1926
1842 J. A. Hamilton Dict. Mus. Terms 85 Taille (French), the tenor voice or part.
1876 J. Stainer & W. A. Barrett Dict. Musical Terms 420/1 Taille (Fr.), (1) the tenor voice or tenor part, (2) the tenor violin, the viola.
1889 G. Grove Dict. Music IV. 52/2 The tenor violoncello clef was originally appropriated to the Taille.
1932 C. S. Terry Bach's Orchestra v. 98 His players were certainly never provided with an instrument capable of sounding g, except the taille.
1944 W. Apel Harvard Dict. Music 731/2 Taille [F.], old name for a middle voice, particularly the tenor. The term was also used for instruments performing such parts, e.g., taille de basson, tenor oboe; taille de violon or simply taille, viola.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1663