West of Englandn.
/ˌwɛst əv ˈɪŋɡlənd/, U.S. /ˌwɛst əv ˈɪŋ(ɡ)lən(d)/ I. Compounds.
1. attributive. Designating a high-quality woollen broadcloth of a kind originally made in the west of England, or a garment made from this; (occasionally also) designating the wool used in cloth of this kind. Cf. west cloth n. at west adv., adj., n.1, and prep. Compounds 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from wool > [adjective] > other
say1531
bandy1552
russel1566
shalloon1665
doily1680
West of England1779
lofty1909
1779 G. E. Howard in Remembrancer 7 231 The French wool will not work up into any kind of tolerable cloth, without a mixture..one-third, either Irish, or Spanish, or West of England wool.
1808 Aberdeen Jrnl. 15 June (advt.) Best Superfine West of England Cloths and Cassimeres, at the London Prices.
1815 Liverpool Mercury 17 Nov. 153/4 (advt.) A suit of Clothes made of the Best West of England Cloth for Six Guineas, at Three hours Notice.
1874 Punch 18 July 31/1 My best black West of England coat Is thickly powdered with the decent dust.
1908 H. Priestman Princ. Woollen Spinning vii. 160 Let us suppose that 50 packs of scoured lambs are to be blended with 50 packs of greasy fleece for 50s West of England yarn.
1936 ‘N. Blake’ Thou Shell of Death i. 8 His waistcoat..[of] West-of-England cloth.
1976 F. Greenland Misericordia Drop i. vii. 49 He wore..grey West-of-England flannels.
2002 Evening Standard (Nexis) 30 May 5 The seats are upholstered in West of England cloth and light grey leather.
II. Simple uses.
2. West of England cloth. Also in plural in same sense. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from wool > [noun] > from specific place
staminc1440
Florence1483
Taunton1499
bridgwaterc1503
tostocke1511
Tavistock1535
drab1541
Dunster1546
wadmal1572
pinwhite1604
Drap-de-Berry1619
cantaloon1711
West of England1840
Spanish stripes1875
1840 Penny Mag. 30 Sept. 382/2 Our woollen manufactures were wholly confined..to a particular section of the country in the West of England (and hence the name ‘West of Englands’ for our finest broad-cloths).
1845 T. Aird Old Bachelor xviii. 210 The broad cloth, fine West-of-England, utterly contemptuous of the swallow-tail, full and flowing in the skirts.
1860 Canad. Agriculturist 1 Nov. 565/2 No less than twenty-one samples of different textures, from strong Canadian grey to a cloth equal to the finest West of England.
1900 Northern Echo 19 July (advt.) A large stock of high-class drapery goods, consisting of men's suits,..Melton cloth, West of Englands, [etc.].
1958 Times 19 Mar. 8/2 (advt.) You will enjoy the choice of cloths—beautiful tweeds, West of Englands, Venetians and many more.
1972 E. Kerridge in J. G. Jenkins Wool Textile Industry in Great Brit. 33/1 The same [sc. a more intensive use of capital and skilled labour] was true to a lesser extent..of the new superfine West of Englands.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1779