Also 6–8 cotten. [f. the sb. Cf. F. cotonner (16th c. in Littré). The original notion in branch II is uncertain: but see quots. under sense 2, and 1608 in 4.]
I. literally. † 1. trans. To form a down or nap on; to furnish with a nap, to frieze. Obs.
1488. [see COTTONED 1].
1557. Act 4–5 Phil. & Mary, c. 5 § 11. Every Yard of Cotton being fully wrought and Cottoned shall weigh one Pound at the least.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Frisar, to rub, to cotten, to freese clothe.
1598. Florio, Cotonare, to cotton, to bumbace, to thrum, or set a nap vpon.
2. intr. Of cloth, etc.: To form or take on a nap, to rise with a nap. ? Obs.
1608. [see 4].
1706. Phillips (Kersey), To Cotton, to Frize, or wear Nappy, as some Stuffs do. Ibid., s.v. Cottum, in making Hats, To Cotton well, is when the Wooll and other Materials work well and imbody together.
1822. Nares, Cotton, to succeed, to go on prosperously: a metaphor, probably, from the finishing of cloth, which when it cottons, or rises to a regular nap, is nearly or quite complete.
3. trans. a. To furnish or clothe with cotton.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Hant-shire, 7. William Cotton … was made Bishop of Exeter. The Queen merrily saying, (alluding to the plenty of clothing in those parts) that she hoped that now she had well Cottoned the West.
b. To stop up with cotton or cotton-wool.
1862. H. Marryat, Year in Sweden, II. 323. Double windows have been set in their places and all the interstices cottoned up,—a stuffy idea to those who love ventilation.
c. fig. To wrap up as in cotton or cotton-wool, to pad. nonce-use.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? (1859), II. VI. v. 287–8 (D.). While that man … should be rolling in wealth, and cottoned up in a palace.
1887. R. L. Stevenson, in Contemp. Rev., LI. 477. Already in our society as it exists, the bourgeois is too much cottoned about for any zest in living.
II. fig. (intr.)
† 4. To prosper, succeed, ‘get on’ well. Obs.
In 16–17th c. very frequent in phrase This gear cottons.
c. 1560. Preston, Cambyses, in Hazl., Dodsley, IV. 215. How like ye now, my masters? doth not this gear cotton?
1584. Lyly, Alex. & Campaspe, III. iv. Doth not this matter cotton as I would?
1591. Troub. Raigne K. John (1611), 53. Come on Sir Friar, picke the locke, this geere doth cotton hansome.
1608. Middleton, Fam. Love, III. ii. It cottens well; it cannot choose but bear A pretty nap.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 308. After Females are separated from their mothers … they cotten sooner than men, grow sooner wise and sooner old.
1619. Fletcher, M. Thomas, IV. vii. K 4. Still Mistresse Dorothy? this geere will cotton.
1681. Roxb. Ball. (1884), V. 202. Meal-Tub Devices, which never well did Cotten.
1876. Whitby Gloss., s.v., ‘Nought cottons weel,’ nothing turns out agreeable.
1877. E. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss., Cotton … (2) To grow, to improve (Obsolescent).
5. To ‘get on’ together or with each other; to suit each other; to work harmoniously, harmonize, agree. (Const. sometimes together, with.)
a. of persons, etc.
1605. Play Stucley, in Simpson, Sch. Shaks. (1878), I. 169. John a Nokes and John a Style and I cannot cotton.
a. 1640. Day, Peregr. Schol. (1881), 44. The Draper said, Truth and he should cotten well enough.
1660. T. M., C. Walker’s Hist. Independ., IV. 46. [The Parliament] and their Masters of the Army could not cotton together.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v., They don’t cotton, they don’t agree well.
1881. Mrs. C. Praed, Policy & P., I. x. 212. All I ask is that I may be able to cotton with the man she’s set her heart on.
b. of things.
1567. Drant, Horace, Arte Poetrie, A v. That first with midst, and middst with laste, May cotten, and agree.
1614. T. Adams, Devil’s Banquet, 54. Our secure liues, and your seuere Lawes will neuer cotten.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 163. These things do not cotten well.
1840. Lady C. Bury, Hist. of Flirt, xviii. The vaulted roof of a cathedral … did not ‘cotton’ with lively ideas.
6. To agree, to fraternize. Const. together, with, rarely in. Cotton up: to make friendly advances, ‘make up’ to, strike up a friendship.
1648. Mercurius Elencticus, 26 Jan. (Thomasson Tracts Brit. Mus. CCCXLVII. No. 25. 64). Unless Harry Marten and he cotten again, and make a powerful intercession for him.
1668. Shadwell, Sullen Lovers, IV. O rare! how we shall cotten together, as the saying is!
1695. Congreve, Love for L., III. v. I love to see ’em hug and cotten together, like Down upon a Thistle.
1766. Amory, Buncle (1825), III. 79. He pledged me and cottoned in a very diverting way.
1822. Scott, Nigel, ii. Didst see … how the old goldsmith cottoned in with his beggarly countryman?
1835. Fraser’s Mag., XI. 142. Gradually all cottoned together, and plunged into conversation.
1886. Hugh Conway, Living or Dead, xiv. 151. ‘Then you cottoned up?’ suggested Valentine.
‘Not a bit of it,’ said Vigor. ‘He began to patronize me, and ask me a series of questions.’
7. To ‘take’ to, attach oneself to; to become drawn or attached to.
1805. Knox & Jebb, Corr., xxii. 164. I did not thoroughly cotton to your intended course of reading.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxvii. ‘I don’t object to Short,’ she says, ‘but I cotton to Codlin.’
1874. Trollope, Lady Anna, xviii. 138. You see, she had nobody else near her. A girl must cotton to somebody, and who was there?
1881. Mrs. C. Praed, Policy & P., II. xii. 214. I object to you personally. I have never cottoned to you from the moment I set eyes upon you.
