vbl. sb. The action or process of lacing tightly; spec. the practice of wearing tightly laced stays in order to reduce or preserve the form of the waist.
1834. Taits Mag., I. 101/2. The demon of tight-lacing is still in existence.
1871. Figure Training, 47. My two daughters can bear me out in my favourable opinion of tight-lacing, and their good health speaks volumes in its praise.
1897. Allbutts Syst. Med., IV. 343. Cruveilhier long ago pointed out the influence of tight lacing as a cause of displacement [of the kidney].
Hence Tight-lace v. (back-formation) trans., to lace tightly, to compress (the waist) by wearing tightly laced stays; also refl. and absol.; so Tight-lace attrib. phr., affected by tight-lacing; Tight-lacer, one who practises tight-lacing.
1859. Habits of Gd. Society, 172. It is often difficult to convince the practised tight-lacer; for vanity is generally obstinate.
1880. trans. Ziemssens Cycl. Med., IX. 40. In slight grades of the so called tight-lace liver only a shallow transverse furrow is observable.
1897. Allbutts Syst. Med., IV. 343. The tight-lace line on the liver is on the same level as the upper pole of the kidney.
1898. Daily News, 19 Jan., 9/2. She told me that she tight-laced herself to present a good figure in the shop.
1907. Daily Chron., 14 Sept., 5/7. The majority of tight lacers develop thick unshapely legs sooner or later.