tight-lacingn.
The action or process of lacing tightly; spec. the practice of wearing tightly-laced stays in order to reduce or preserve the form of the waist.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [noun] > wearing underwear
tight-lacing1834
corseting1845
underwear1872
1834 Tait's Edinb. Mag. New Ser. 1 101/2 The demon of tight-lacing is still in existence.
1871 Figure Training 47 My two daughters..can bear me out in my favourable opinion of tight-lacing, and their good health speaks volumes in its praise.
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. IV. 343 Cruveilhier long ago pointed out the influence of tight lacing as a cause of displacement [of the kidney].
Derivatives
ˈtight-ˈlace v. [as a back-formation] (transitive) to lace tightly, to compress (the waist) by wearing tightly-laced stays; also reflexive and absol.
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the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [verb (intransitive)] > in specific way > types of
to cover (one's head)c1340
scrub1590
wimple1591
sag1592
to go thina1610
to be covered1611
rustlea1616
to keep on1621
veil1714
to shake (have) a cloth in the wind1834
smock-frock1840
pad1873
tighten1896
tight-lace1898
1898 Daily News 19 Jan. 9/2 She told me that she tight-laced herself to present a good figure in the shop.
ˈtight-lace adj. affected by tight-lacing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > glandular disorders > [adjective] > disorders of liver
liver-sickeOE
lapidous1583
liver-shot1618
liver-grown1637
nutmeggy1843
cirrhotic1863
nutmegged1879
tight-lace1880
cirrhosed1886
loaded1897
tight-laced1905
1880 tr. B. T. Thierfelder in tr. H. W. von Ziemssen et al. Cycl. Pract. Med. IX. 40 In slight grades of the so-called ‘tight-lace liver’ only a shallow transverse furrow is observable.
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. IV. 343 The tight-lace line on the liver is on the same level as the upper pole of the kidney.
ˈtight-ˈlacer n. one who practises tight-lacing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [noun] > wearing underwear > one who
lacer1822
tight-lacer1859
1859 Habits Good Society 172 It is often difficult to convince the practised tight-lacer; for vanity is generally obstinate.
1907 Daily Chron. 14 Sept. 5/7 The majority of tight lacers develop thick unshapely legs sooner or later.
Draft additions March 2017
tight-lacing liver n. Medicine (now historical) a liver with an abnormal shape attributed to the pressure of a tight-laced corset; cf. tight-lace adj. at Derivatives.
ΚΠ
1880 Practitioner Jan. 11 I am not prepared to assert that marked instances of ‘tight-lacing liver’ are likely again to become frequent.
1908 H. W. Wilson Movable Kidney 48 It [sc. the kidney] was kept in this position by the very pronounced tight-lacing liver.
2001 V. Steele Corset: Cultural Hist. iii. 74 The many stories of ‘tight-lacing liver’ seem to be based on a misunderstanding of anatomy.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1834