[Named after Arthur, first duke of Wellington, 1769–1852.]
1. attrib. a. Wellington boot = sense 2.
1818. M. Birkbeck, Notes Journ. Amer. (ed. 4), 88. Americans … in pantaloons and Wellington boots.
1839. Dickens, Nickleby, ii. Grey mixture pantaloons, and Wellington boots drawn over them.
1860. All Year Round, No. 64. 331. The Wellington boot at present worn by our dragoons under their trousers.
1884. E. Yates, Recoll., I. ii. 46. No gentleman could wear anything in the daytime but Wellington boots, high up the leg, over which the trousers fitted tightly, covering most of the foot, and secured underneath by a broad strap.
b. Used to designate other articles of clothing introduced by the Duke, or named after him, as Wellington coat, hat, trousers.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., i. The preposterous length of their great-coats, and the equally fashionable latitude and longitude of their Wellington trousers.
1828. Creevey, Papers, etc. (1904), II. 155. Yesterday morning he made his first appearance in a new ‘Wellington’ Coat (a kind of a half-and-half great Coat and undercoat, you know, meeting close and square below the knees).
1832. Marryat, N. Forster, xxxii. The above look much more scientific than Wellington trousers.
1893. Georg. Hill, Hist. Eng. Dress, II. 254. Wellington hat with the yeoman Crown.
2. A high boot covering the knee in front and cut away behind. Also a somewhat shorter boot worn under the trousers.
1817. Moncrieff, Giovanni in Lond., I. iv. And wear of wellingtons a pair, To shine from top to toe, sir!
a. 1821. Keats, Modern Love, 8. Miss’s comb is made a pearl tiara, And common Wellingtons turn Romeo boots.
1854. C. Knight, Once upon a Time, II. 266. The tops lasted till Wellingtons and trousers drove them out.
1869. E. A. Parkes, Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3), 416. The cavalry have Wellingtons and jackboots.
1906. Stores’ Price List, 2. Pairs Calf Wellingtons.
3. A variety of cooking apple, large, roundish, and with yellowish white flesh. Also W. apple.
1821. Trans. Hort. Soc. (1822), IV. 529. Mr. Richard Williams sent … specimens of an Apple called the Wellington, a very handsome and long keeping variety.
1839. C. McIntosh, Orchard, 18. Dumelow’s Seedling [Syn. Wellington Apple, Dumelow’s Crab].
1882. Garden, 18 March, 182/3. Cooks go generally for the Wellington as a cooking Apple.
