Also 7 tammey, 8 tamy. [Appears to be identical with obs. F. tamise ‘étoffe de laine lustrée’ cited by Littré from a letter patent of 22 July, 1780 (cf. cerise, cherry); but this may have been an adaptation of the Eng. word, which was in use a century earlier. It has also been suggested to be a corruption of TAMIN, or a deriv. of F. estame worsted, estamet cloth-rash (Cotgr.).] A fine worsted cloth of good quality, often with a glazed finish.

1

  Much mentioned in 17th and 18th centuries, but app. obs. before 1858. The name has been recently revived as a trade-term: see quot. 1876.

2

1637.  N. Whiting, Albino & Bellama, 67.

        Who, when Sir Cupid enters at the eye,
With pride and coy disdaine shuts comfort forth?
Ile make ambition stoope, now love sayes I,
And satten thoughts shall vaile to Tammey worth.

3

1665.  in Strype, Stow’s Surv. (1754), II. V. xviii. 380/2. All other Kersies, Bayes, Tammies, Sayes, Rashes [etc.].

4

1675.  Ogilvy, Brit., 146. Stow market…. Its chiefest Trade is making of Tammeys, and the Town affords several good Inns for Entertainment.

5

1695.  Reasons to Restrain East-India & Persia wrought Silks. Merchants left bringing over Turky Manufactured Silk, Hair Grograins and Tammies (which in our Memory were the general Wear of our Grandmothers and Mothers) and now instead thereof import us only raw Silk Grograin and Cotten Yarn to Englands great Advantage.

6

1706.  Phillips (ed. Kersey), Tamy, a kind of Stuff.

7

1730.  Bailey (folio), Tammy, a Sort of Worsted-Stuff, which lies cockled.

8

1757.  Dyer, Fleece, III. 481. Cheyney, and bayse, and serge, and alepine, Tammy, and crape, and the long countless list of woollen webbs.

9

1758.  Chron., in Ann. Reg., I. 119/1. Her riding dress a light drab, lined with blue tammy.

10

1770.  Gentl. Mag., XL. 221. An account of a new loom, for weaving tamies, serges, stuffs and worsted cloaths.

11

1797.  Monthly Mag., III. 34. Bradford is a manufacturing town for tammies, and other worsted stuffs.

12

1812.  J. Bigland, Beauties Eng. & Wales, XVI. 805.

13

1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Tammies, a commercial name formerly given to Scotch camlets; a worsted fabric resembling bunting, but closer and finer.

14

1876.  T. C. Archer, Wool & Applications, 46. Tammies are now made of wool with cotton warp. They are highly glazed and dyed in bright colours, and are still favourite fabrics.

15

  b.  attrib., as tammy gown, lining, warp.

16

1666.  Wood, Life, June (O. H. S.), II. 80. I bought of Mr, Fifield an English Tammy gowne which cost me, out of the shop, 2li. 4s. I had 18 yards and an half, at 2s. (a) yard.

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1678.  Lond. Gaz., No. 1329/4. A brown cloth wastecoat, a red tammy petticoat.

18

1719.  J. Roberts, Spinster, 346. Many woollen stuffs … are quite lost,… such as … worsted tammy draughts.

19

1835.  Ure, Philos. Manuf., 159. The hardest twisted worsted is called tammy warp.

20

1883.  R. Haldane, Workshop Receipts, Ser. II. 147/1. Tammy lining may also be cleaned with camphine.

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