[f. WOAD sb.1 or v. + -ED.] a. Of a color or dye: Having a basis of, or treated with, woad. b. Of cloth, etc.: Dyed with woad or woaded dye.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1595), 85. As a deepe woded die, which went to the bottome, and pearced into the tender wolle.
1580–1. Act 23 Eliz., c. 9 § 2. A … perfitte couler of woaded and mathered Blacke.
1613. J. May, Decl. Estate Cloth, 30. The diers of London doe best obserue a true course in setting a woaded seale vpon woaded colours.
1615. S. Ward, Coal fr. Altar, 24. The set vp blewes haue made strangers loath the rich oaded blewes.
1653. Blithe, Engl. Improver Impr. xxxv. (ed. 3), 227. Wond … layes the foundation for the solidity of very many colours more: A Woaded colour is free from stayning.
1862. C. O’Neill, Dict. Calico Printing, etc. 212. The term woaded colours, still in common use for colours which are supposed to be dyed upon a basis of woad blue.
1869. A. Macdonald, Love, Law & Theol., iv. 66. Alas! all married men cannot sport the glossy woaded blacks of the unique Webster, which usually adorn the backs of youthful Sneakers.
1894. Times, 14 May, 4/3. Some good parcels of woaded wool serges.
So Woading vbl. sb.
1613. J. May, Decl. Estate Cloth, 30. The ground of good colours is substantiall woading, without which diuers colors cannot be perfectly made, as blackes, russets, tawnyes, purples, greenes, and such like.
1894. C. Vickerman, Woollen Spinning, 111. The ‘woading’ of blacks in too many instances has become so much of a formality, the indigo put on is so slight, that the old tests are no longer of any service.
