Forms: 4– tabard; also 4 (9) tabart, 4–5 tabbard, 4–6 tabarde, 4–8 tabert, 5 taberde, 5–7 taberd, 6 tabarte, Sc. tawbart, talbart, -ert. [a. OF. tabart (12th c. in Godef.), tabar (13–14th c.) = Sp. tabardo, It. tabarro: ulterior derivation unknown; see Diez.]
† 1. A garment of coarse material; ‘a loose upper garment without sleeves’ (Jam.); formerly worn out of doors by the lower classes, also by monks and foot-soldiers. Obs.
c. 1300. in Langtoft’s Chron., in Pol. Songs (Camden), 303. He haves overhipped, His typeth is typped, hise tabard es tome.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 41. His tabarde to-torne and his totez oute.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 111. A toren Tabart of twelue Wynter Age.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 541. A Plowman … In a tabard he rood vpon a Mere.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 81. Noman come be-forn ye alderman … in tabard ne in cloke.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. v. 80. Than with the glitterand volf skyn ouer his array, Cleid in his nwreis talbart glaid and gay.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xii. 12. Syr Thomas Wage caused syr Hewe Spencer to be fast bound on ye best and leuiest hors of al ye host, and caused hym to were on a tabarte, suche as traytours and theues were wont to were.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 213.
[1866. Rogers, Agric. & Prices, I. xxii. 582. Tabards, that is short gowns, with or without sleeves, probably without an opening in front, but drawn over the head like a round frock.]
transf. 1423. Jas. I., Kingis Q., cx. Vnlike the cukkow [is] to the phylomene; Thaire tabartis ar noght bothe maid of array.
2. A short surcoat open at the sides and having short sleeves, worn by a knight over his armor, and emblazoned on the front, back, and sleeves with his armorial bearings. Now only Hist.
c. 1450. Brut, cc. 228 (MS. O.). After he lete him vncloþe of his furrede tabard and of his hood, and … saide vnto him … now art þow no knyȝt, but a knaue.
1562. Leigh, Armorie (1597), 96. Gentlewomen vnder the degree of a countesse, haue armes on Taberts.
1603. Drayton, Bar. Wars, II. xxiii. Ferrer his Taberd, with rich Verry spred, Well knowne in many a Warlike Match before.
1843. G. P. R. James, Forest Days, I. ii. His sword peeped from under his tabard.
3. The official dress of a herald or pursuivant; a coat or jerkin having short sleeves, or none, and emblazoned with the arms of the sovereign.
1598. Stow, Surv., 238. Now these Tabardes are onely worne by the Heraults, and bee called their coates of Armes in seruice.
1633. B. Jonson, Love’s Welcome, Wks. (Rtldg.), 661/1. As witnesseth the brief taberd or coat-armour he carries.
1724. Lond. Gaz., No. 6307/1. The Heralds … invested with Taberts of the Sovereign’s Arms.
1808. Scott, Marm., I. xi. Two pursuivants, whom tabarts deck, With silver scutcheon round their neck.
1864. Boutell, Her. Hist. & Pop., xiii. 132. The Tabard remains in use as the Official Habit of Heralds.
† 4. (?)
1526. Rutland MSS. (1905), IV. 264. Leyeng tabardes for your chapell roff, and takyng down the olde ledde.
5. Comb. tabard-fashion, -wise; tabard-like adj.
a. 1500[?]. Assemb. Ladies, 523. In tabard-wyse the slevës hanging doun.
1890. Doyle, White Comp., xviii. An air of masterful dignity, which was increased by his tabardlike vesture.
1903. Daily Chron., 31 March, 9/1. Those [S. African natives] that don a coat wear it behind before, or slung round their shoulders, tabard-fashion.
Hence Tabarded a., wearing a tabard.
1837. E. Howard, Old Commodore, II. 12. The tabarded official most submissively replied, ‘That if such right existed, and had been granted, and registered, it could not, whatever it was, by any possibility be contra bonos mores.’
