a. and sb. Forms: 1 línen, 1–8 linnen, 3–7 lynnen, (3 linn, linin, 4 lenyne, 5 lynand), 4–6 lyn(n)yn(e, (4 lynyng), 5–6 lynen, -ine, -on, 6–7 li-, lyn(n)ing, -yng(e, 3– linen. [OE. línen, lĭnnen = OFris. linnen (Du. linnen), OS. and OHG. lînîn (G. leinen):—OTeut. type *lînîno- f. *lînom flax: see LINE sb.1 and -EN4.]

1

  A.  adj. Made of flax. In mod. Eng. apprehended chiefly as an attributive use of the sb., with the sense: Made of linen. † Linen wings = sails.

2

a. 700.  Epinal Gloss., 1081. Linnin ryhae.

3

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., xiv. 82. Ðæt hræʓl wæs beboden ðæt sceolde bion ʓeworht of … twispunnenum twine linenum.

4

c. 1160.  Hatton Gosp., John xix. 40. Hyo … be-wunden hine mid linene claðe.

5

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 418. Nexst fleshe ne schal mon werien no linene cloð.

6

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 8962. Þis gode mold … gurde aboute hire middel a uair linne [v.r. linnene] ssete.

7

1340.  Ayenb., 236. Linene kertel erþan hi by huyte, ueleziþe him be-houeþ þet he by ybeate and y-wesse.

8

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 422. Thai … lynyng clothis had, but mair.

9

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, vii. (Jacobus Minor), 59. Lenyne clath he oysit ay.

10

1413.  Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), I. i. (1859), 1. She kevered it lappyng [it] in a clene lynnen clothe.

11

1466.  Paston Lett., II. 270. For grey lynen cloth and sylk frenge for the hers.

12

1508.  Dunbar, Flyting w. Kennedie, 224. I se him want ane sark, I reid ȝow, cummer, tak in your lynning clais.

13

1535.  Coverdale, Ezek. xliv. 18. They shal haue fayre lynnynge bonettes vpon their heades.

14

1571.  Grindal, Injunc. at York, B iij. A comely and decent table,… with a faire linen clothe to lay vpon the same.

15

c. 1620.  Fletcher & Massinger, Trag. Barnavelt, V. iii. Who Unbard the Havens that the floating Merchant, Might clap his lynnen wings up to the windes.

16

1660.  Pepys, Diary, 24 May. Up, and made myself as fine as I could, with the linning stockings on, and wide canons.

17

1676.  Hobbes, Iliad, II. 485. A linen armour he wore on his breast.

18

1678.  Wanley, Wond. Lit. World, V. iii. § 8. 474/1. Sextus [I.] … ordered … that Priests should minister in Linnen Surplices.

19

1719.  W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 88. Our Returns are chiefly in Linnen and Linnen Yarn.

20

1759.  Grainger, Tibullus, I. v. 17.

        And I nine Times, in linnen Garbs array’d,
In silent Night, nine Times to Trivia pray’d.

21

1808.  Med. Jrnl., XIX. 328. Some persons … washed their children with cold water by means of a linen cloth.

22

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Linen-yarn, spun flax.

23

  B.  sb.

24

  1.  Cloth woven from flax.

25

  The explanation ‘cloth woven from flax or hemp,’ given by Johnson and copied in most subsequent Dicts., appears to be a mere blunder, founded on occasional loose uses (cf. 3).

26

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 3. A louely ladi on leor In linnene I-cloþed. Ibid. (1377), B. Prol. 219. Wollewebsteres and weueres of lynnen.

27

c. 1450.  Capgrave, Chron. (Rolls), 62. In this same tyme was Linus Pope, whech ordeyned that women schuld with lynand cure her heer.

28

c. 1460.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 935. Looke þer be blanket cotyn or lynyn to wipe þe neþur ende.

29

1513.  Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 2540. She neuer ware lynon by day or by nyght.

30

1535.  Coverdale, 1 Sam. ii. 18. The childe was gyrded with an ouer body cote of lynnen.

31

1557.  N. T. (Genev.), Luke xvi. 19. There was a certayne ryche man we was clothed in purple and fyne lynnen.

32

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 93. Of linnine lykwyse thay maid wyd sarkis.

33

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., II. vii. § 10. That other precept was made against wearing a garment of linnen and woollen, because [etc.].

34

1695.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3099/2. An Act for Burying in Scotch Linnen.

35

1747.  Wesley, Prim. Physick (1762), 69. Apply a Suppository of Linnen dipt in Aquæ Vitæ.

36

1768.  Hume, Ess., Balance Trade, xxvii. 194. A tax on German linen encourages home manufactures.

37

1806.  Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., IV. 309. Large quantities … are … exported … in an unbleached state; that is, under the name of brown linen, and green linen.

38

1843.  Hood, Song of the Shirt, iv. It is not linen you’re wearing out, But human creatures’ lives!

39

1864.  Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 659. For thine Fares richly, in fine linen.

40

1892.  Labour Commission Gloss., Linen, cloth made from flax or tow.

41

1899.  Daily News, 16 Jan., 3/4. An article described as linen which was partially made of cotton.

42

  b.  pl. Various kinds of linen; linen goods.

43

1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. x. 238. The cottons from the Coromandel coast, make the European linnens almost useless.

44

1851.  Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 1158. An assortment of unbleached linens.

45

1892.  Daily News, 30 April, 2/7. Dress linens keep firm in price.

46

  † c.  Fossil linen: a kind of asbestos. (Cf. LINE sb. 1 a and FLAX sb. 5 b.) Obs.

47

1797.  Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), X. 83/2. Fossile Linen is a kind of amianthus, which consists of flexible, parallel, soft fibres,… celebrated for the uses to which it has been applied, of being woven, and forming an incombustible cloth.

48

  2.  Something made of linen; a linen garment. Obs. in sing.; the pl. is found in Scottish writers.

49

1566.  in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 137. All the Reste off the lenyns that belong to the papishe priste.

50

1724.  R. Wodrow, Life J. Wodrow (1828), 57. Her friend went into another room and put on clean linens.

51

1773.  Johnson, Lett. to Mrs. Thrale, 6 Sept. A very decent girl in a printed linen.

52

1864.  Burton, Scot Abr., II. ii. 184. A little bag, wherein were my linens and some books.

53

1891.  Miss Dowie, Girl in Karp., 147. Dressed in … preternaturally unsullied linens, and a short sheepskin.

54

  † b.  pl. The sails of a ship (cf. linen wings in A).

55

1622.  Fletcher, Sea Voy., I. i. Farle up all her Linnens, and let her ride it out.

56

  3.  collect. a. Garments or other articles made of linen; often by extension applied to garments normally or originally made of linen, even when other materials are actually used. Often spec. = undergarments, e.g., shirts; also = bed-linen, table-linen, To wash one’s dirty linen at home: to say nothing in public about family affairs, disputes or scandals.

57

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 334. Alle þei fled on rowe, in lynen white as milke.

58

c. 1460.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 876. Wayte hys lynnyn þat hit be clene.

59

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxi. 466. Lady, aryse and fette hym suche linnen as he nedeth.

60

1552.  Bury Wills (Camden), 140. All my lynnen except my too best shirts.

61

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., IV. ii. 40. In any case let Thisby haue cleane linnen.

62

1607.  Tourneur, Rev. Trag., II. ii. He and the Duchesse By night meete in their linnen.

63

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., X. 449. My Linnen, Letters, and Sacket was lying in my hostery.

64

1653.  Walton, Angler, iii. 61. Lets go to that house, for the linnen looks white, and smels of Lavender.

65

1695.  Congreve, Love for L., II. x. Miss Pru. I’m resolv’d I won’t let Nurse put any more Lavender among my Smocks—ha, Cousin? Frail. Fie, Miss; amongst your Linnen, you must say—You must never say Smock.

66

1702.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3809/5. A Party of 30 of Paul Diack’s Hussars … took away the Linnen that was hanged out to dry upon the Palisades.

67

1731.  Ld. Bathurst, Lett., 19 April, in Swift’s Wks. (1841), II. 649. Washing your linen and mending it, darning your stockings, &c.

68

1802.  Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. xvi. 132. He … bespoke a suit of clothes. He bought new linen.

69

1820.  Keats, Eve St. Agnes, xxx. And still she slept an azure-lidded sleep, In blanched linen, smooth, and lavender’d.

70

1840.  Marryat, Poor Jack, xxvi. Take our dirty linen on shore.

71

1877.  R. J. More, Under the Balkans, xv. 216. The parents of the bride gave a present of homespun linen to the godfather and godmother.

72

1895.  Globe, 23 May, 1. People who ought to wash their dirty linen at home will not be satisfied with a less public laundry than Piccadilly.

73

  † b.  A piece or pieces of linen, esp. strips of linen for use as bandages. In pl. graveclothes. Obs.

74

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., IV. ii. 79. Mist. Ford. Go, go, sweet Sir Iohn: Mistriis Page and I will looke some linnen for your head.

75

1651–3.  Jer. Taylor, Serm. for Year (1678), 104. In a single Linnen [he] laid his honour’d head.

76

1653.  S. Mewce, Lett. to Lady H., in Hatton Corr. (1878), I. 9. Lynnen to dresse the wounded men was required.

77

1653.  H. More, Antid. Ath., III. viii. (1712), 111. The Family … gave out that he died … got him washed and laid Linens … handsomly about him.

78

1676.  Hale, Contempl., I. 121. The linnen that wrapped his body in one place, and the linnen that bound his head in another.

79

1689.  Burnet, Tracts, I. 38. They were some of the Linnings in which Christ was wrapped.

80

a. 1796.  Burns, ‘O merry hae I been,’ 11. Bless’d be the hour she cool’d in her linnens.

81

  4.  attrib. and Comb.: a. simple attrib., as linen † -loom, -manufacture, -paper, -work. b. objective, as linen-keeper, -printer, -stainer, -weaver, † -webster; linen-darning; linen-making, -wearing adjs. c. instrumental and parasynthetic, as linen-fitted, -suited, -vestured adjs.

82

1880.  Plain Hints Needlework, 88. An old harden sheet or apron is invaluable as practice for teaching *linen darning and patching.

83

1896.  Westm. Gaz., 8 Oct., 3/2. Woman … has purloined for her own use … the *linen-fitted flannel shirt.

84

Mod. Advt.  Required, Position as Housekeeper, *Linen-keeper, Matron, or Lady-Help.

85

1404.  Nottingham Rec., II. 22. Item, j. *lynyn lome.

86

1468.  Ripon Ch. Acts (Surtees), 133. Unum lynnen-lome.

87

1692.  Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), II. 382. A great hearing at councill between the islands of Jersey and Guernsey and the *linnen manufacture corporation.

88

1727–52.  Chambers, s.v. Paper, *Linen or European Paper is chiefly made of linen rags beaten to a pulp.

89

1875.  Scrivener, Lect. Text N. Test., 17. About the twelfth century linen paper came to be substituted.

90

1772.  Ann. Reg., 99. The prisoners were *linen-printers.

91

1775.  J. Adams, Fam. Lett. (1876), 119. I think there is a particular occupation in Europe, called a paper-stainer or *linen-stainer.

92

1762.  Gentl. Mag., 185/1. A limpid stream … Where *linnen-suited Sal for water goes.

93

1866.  J. B. Rose, Ovid’s Metam., 30. The *linen-vestured race, Hold her in deepest reverence.

94

1721.  Strype, Eccl. Mem., IV. iv. 49. *Linnin-wearing bishops.

95

1474.  in Cal. Pat. Rolls 14 Edw. IV., 22 Nov., *Lynnen wever.

96

1535.  Coverdale, 1 Chron. iv. 21. The kynred of ye lynnenweuers in ye house of Aszbea.

97

1708.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4409/4. Thomas Tuttle, a Linen-Weaver.

98

1642.  in Rushw., Hist. Coll., III. (1692), I. 680. Richard Parcivall of Kirkman-Shalme in the said County of Lancaster, *Linen-Webster.

99

1720.  Lond. Gaz., No. 5889/4. George Malton, late of Woodkirk, Linnen-webster.

100

1535.  Coverdale, 2 Chron. iii. 14. He made a vayle also of Yalow Sylke, scarlet, purple, *lynenworke.

101

  5.  Special combinations: † linen ball, some instrument of torture (cf. LAWN sb.1 3 b); linen-decency nonce-use (see quot.); linen-fold = linen scroll; linen lapper (see quot.); † linen-lifter, a man given to adultery; linen-hall, a market-hall for the sale of linens; † linen-man, a shirt-maker or linen-draper; linen-mill (see quot.); linen-panel, one decorated with a linen-scroll; linen-pattern = linen-scroll; linen-prover, a microscope used to determine the fineness of a linen fabric by counting the threads; linen-scroll (see quot.); † linen-teller = linen-prover;linen-wheel, app. a kind of sewing machine.

102

1630.  Pathomachia, III. iv. 29. Vnlesse thou confesse, the Russians Shiners, the Scottish Bootes, the Dutch Wheele, the Spanish Strappado, *Linnen Ball, and Peare of Confession shall torment thee.

103

1644.  Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 75. I fear yet this iron yoke of outward conformity hath left a slavish print upon our necks; the ghost of a *linnen decency yet haunts us.

104

1850.  Whipple, Ess. & Rev. (ed. 3), II. 12. All the conventional proprieties and linen decencies of language, he would find continually violated.

105

1891.  Trans. Soc. Antiquaries, 22 Jan., 225. The panels are ornamented with *‘linen-fold’ patterns.

106

1765.  Wesley, Jrnl., 4 May. I preached in the *Linen-Hall,… a large square, with piazzas on three sides of it.

107

1780.  A. Young, Tour Irel., I. 167. He … sells it at the linen-hall in Dublin.

108

1893.  Labour Commission, Gloss., *Linen Lappers, men who examine, measure, and fold the linen for the various markets. (Term used in the North of Ireland.)

109

1652.  Feltham, Char. Low C. (1659), 24. They [Dutchwomen] are not so ready at this play as the English … nor are their Men such *linnen-lifters.

110

1625.  B. Jonson, Staple of N., I. i. O Founder, no such matter, My Spurrier, and my Hatter, My *Linnen-man, and my Taylor.

111

1631.  Massinger, Emperor East, I. ii. How low a new stamp’d courtier May vaile to … His linnen-man, and taylor.

112

1727–52.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Mill, *Linen-Mills…. Their use is, to scour linens, after their having been first cleansed when taken out of the lixivium, or lye.

113

1886.  Willis & Clark, Cambridge, I. 270. Lignis undulatis, that is, with undulated or wavy woodwork…. The words probably denote what is now termed *‘linen panels.’

114

1850.  Parker, Gloss. Archit., s.v. Panel, One kind of ornament which was introduced towards the end of the Perpendicular style … consists of a series of straight mouldings … so arranged … as to represent the folds of linen, it is usually called the *‘linen pattern.’

115

1894.  Maskelyne, Sharps & Flats, 68. The mirror in this case is mounted somewhat after the fashion of a *linen-prover.

116

1854.  Fairholt, Dict. Terms Art, *Linen-scroll, a peculiar style of decorative ornament, extensively used to fill panels in the latter part of the fifteenth, and during the sixteenth century; so termed from its resemblance to a small napkin folded in close convolutions all over its surface.

117

1797.  Miers Fisher, in Mem. Lit. & Philos. Soc. Manchester (1798), V. 316. I examined the … skin, with a glass which magnified considerably, and which is known in Ireland by the name of a *linen-teller.

118

1638.  J. Rous, Diary (Camden), 85. He [a handless man] tooke three stitches in a cloathe with a *linnen-wheele (prepared with a turner’s devise for the foote).

119