Forms: 6 Sc. tulat, tolat, 7–8 toylet, 8 toylett, 7–9 toilette, (8 toillette), 7– toilet; also 7 twil(l)et, (7–9 twilight). (Cf. twily in Eng. Dial. Dict., var. toily.) [a. F. toilette, dim. of toile cloth: see TOIL sb.2 Cf. TILLET1.
Most, if not all, of the English senses are to be found in Fr. (see Littré), esp. in 17th cent. use.]
† 1. A piece of stuff used as a wrapper for clothes. Obs.
Also, in dictionaries, from Cotgrave, a night-dress bag; app. an error and never in Eng. use.
1540. in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials (1830), I. 302. For pointis to þe Cote and brekis, and ane Tulat to þe Cote … iij s. Ibid. (1541), 318. For ix elnis blak freis, to lyne þe Cote…. Item, for pointis and ane tolat to turs it to Sanct Johnestoune.
1611. Cotgr., Toilette, a Toylet; the stuffe which Drapers lap about their clothes; also, a bag to put night-clothes, and buckeram, or other stuffe to wrap any other clothes, in.
[1656. Blount, Glossogr., Toylet (Fr. toylette), a bag or cloth to put night clothes in.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Toilet, a bag or case for night-clothes.]
† b. A towel or cloth thrown over the shoulders during hair-dressing; also, a shawl. Obs. rare.
1684. J. Phillips, in trans. Plutarch’s Morals (1874), IV. 236. Pleasant … was the answer of Archelaus to the barber, who, after he had cast the linen toilet about his shoulders, put this question to him, How shall I trim your majesty? In silence, quoth the king.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., III. 37. When they go abroad, they wear a Chal which is a kind of toilet of very fine Wool made at Cachmir.
2. A cloth cover for a dressing-table (formerly often of rich material and workmanship); now usually called a toilet-cover.
1682. Lond. Gaz., No. 1739/4. A gold-coloured Tabby Twilet and Pincushion with Silver Lace. Ibid. (1683), No. 1811/4. Stolen the 20th Instant, a Toilet of blew Velvet, with a Gold and Silver Fringe.
1696. Phillips (ed. 5), Toilet, a kind of Table-cloth, or Carpet of Silk, Sattins, Velvet or Tissue, spread upon a Table in a Bed-chamber.
1703. Countrey Farmer’s Catech. (N. s.v. Knit-knot), Not to spend their time in knit-knots, patch-work, fine twilights.
1767. Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr., Ser. II. (1862), I. 104. Your fancy about taking a gimp round the flowers on the toilet would be pretty, but too much work.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Toilet,… a cotton cover for a dressing-table.
3. collective. The articles required or used in dressing; the furniture of the toilet-table; toilet-service; also, † a case containing these (obs.).
1662. Evelyn, Diary, 9 June. The greate looking-glasse and toilet of beaten and massive gold was given by the Queene Mother.
1718. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess of Mar, 10 March. In her bedchamber, her toilet was displayed consisting of two looking-glasses [etc.].
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., Toilet,… the dressing-box, wherein are kept the paints, pomatums, essences, patches, &c.; the pin-cushion, powder-box, brushes, &c. are esteemed parts of the equipage of a lady’s toilet.
1815. Chron., in Ann. Reg., 53/2. A superb toilet of plate. Ibid., 55/1. His toilet is of silver.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., iii. (1856), 26. To one long string was fastened … my entire toilet, a tooth-brush, a comb, and a hair-brush.
4. The table on which these articles are placed; a toilet-table.
c. 1695. Prior, Ode, ‘The merchant,’ etc., 6. My darling lyre, Upon Euphelia’s toilet lay. Ibid. (1709), Hans Carvel, 60. An untouch’d Bible grac’d her toilet: No fear that thumb of hers should spoil it.
1789. Gibbon, Autobiog. (1854), 100. My book was on every table, and almost on every toilette.
1803. Mary Charlton, Wife & Mistress, I. 118. I have made up a twilight in her room, and put my white taffety pin-cushion upon it.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xxvi. On the toilette beside, stood an old-fashioned mirror, in a fillagree frame.
1838. W. Wallace, Mackintosh’s Hist. Eng., VIII. v. 188. The letter of the princess Anne, said to have been left by her on her toilet, was not delivered.
5. The action or process of dressing.
Transf. from the table (sense 4) to the process there performed, app. through the phr. ‘at her toilet.’
1681. trans. Combes’ Versailles, etc. (1684), 32. She was given to understand, being at her Toilette, of the death of her Husband.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 24. The long labours of the Toilet cease.
1713. Swift, Cadenus & Vanessa, 50. Ev’ry trifle that employs The out or inside of their heads Between their toylets and their beds.
1777. Mme. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), II. 194. We were down before Mrs. Wall, whose toilette is an affair of moment.
1822. W. Irving, Braceb. Hall (1849), 51. She actually spent an hour longer at her toilette, and made her appearance with her hair uncommonly frizzed and powdered.
1826. in Sheridaniana, 399. One morning, when finishing his toilet.
1858. Lytton, What will he do, II. iv. Lionel’s toilet was soon hurried over.
b. The reception of visitors by a lady during the concluding stages of her toilet: very fashionable in the 18th c. Now Hist. (Cf. toilet-call in 9.).
1703. Steele, Tend. Husb., I. i. You shall introduce him to Mrs. Clerimont’s Toilet.
1765. Chesterf., Lett. to A. C. Stanhope, 21 March. I carried him a little time ago to a lady’s toilette, who was delighted with him.
1786. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 19 Aug. I am forced to deny all admission to my toilette, as it has never taken place without making me too late.
6. Manner or style of dressing; dress, costume, ‘get-up’; also, a dress or costume, a gown.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., iii. His toilette had apparently cost him some labour, for his clothes … were of the newest fashion, and put on with great attention.
1821. Sporting Mag., IX. 32. The lady was beautiful, her tourneure distinguished, her toilette elegant.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, xxiv. Madame noted every article of toilette which the ladies wore.
1867. Latham, Black & White, 128. We observed some show of evening toilet.
1883. Truth, 31 May, 745/2. Lady Dudley’s black toilette was much admired.
1889. Gunter, That Frenchman, x. This toilet is a mass of fleecy muslin.
7. A dressing-room; in U.S. esp. a dressing-room furnished with bathing facilities; in restricted sense, a bath-room, a lavatory (Funk’s Stand. Dict.).
1819. Byron, Juan, I. cliii. There is the closet, there the toilet.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Toilette (French), a dressing-table; an ante-room for dressing.
1909. in Cent. Dict. Supp.
8. transf. from 5. a. Surgery. The cleansing of a part after an operation. b. The cleaning up of a street, a ship, etc. c. Preparation for execution (in Fr. form toilette: see Littré s.v. Toilette 10 a).
a. 1879. Brit. Med. Jrnl., 24 May, 790. Spencer Wells, by his careful toilette of the peritoneum.
1890. Billings, Nat. Med. Dict., Toilet of the peritoneum, cleansing the abdominal cavity after abdominal section.
b. 1901. Daily Tel., 9 March, 9/6. The toilet of London—to use the picturesque phrase of an authority consulted yesterday—cannot be satisfactory unless the streets are flushed with water every night.
1907. C. Urban, Cinematograph, 21. The performance of the toilet of an ocean greyhound.
1885. Du Cane, Punishm. & Prevent. Crime, ii. 23. The hangman was not allowed to enter the gaol even to receive his wage, but was paid over the gates, the ‘toilette’ or pinioning being performed by the ‘yeomen of the halter.’
1903. Ld. R. Gower, Rec. & Remin., 281. The ghastly ceremony of his toilette [for the guillotine], as they call the pinioning and cutting off the hair at the back of his head.
9. attrib. and Comb. a. Of or pertaining to the toilet: as toilet-call (see 5 b), -can, -chamber, -pail, -quilt, -service, -set, -soap, -stand, etc.
1721. Cibber, Refusal, II. i. Vanity is the only fruit of toilette lucubrations.
1766. Gentl. Mag., Dec., 558/1. A beautiful alabaster … intended for … her toilet-stand.
1827. Carlyle, Germ. Rom., I. 26. Toilette calls were not in fashion.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 1147. Ordinary soft toilet soap…. The fat generally preferred is good hog’s lard.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, vii. [She] examined the dreary pictures and toilette appointments. Ibid., xxxi. He would make a present of the silver essence-bottles and toilet knicknacks to a young lady.
1853. G. P. R. James, Agnes Sorel, I. viii. 169. When they had entered his toilet-chamber, the Duke cast himself into a chair.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Toilet-can, a tin can for water for a dressing-room…. Toilet-pail, a tin pail for holding slops in a bedroom. Toilet-quilt, a bed-cover or cover for the dressing-table. Toilet-set, Toilet-service, earthenware and glass utensils for a dressing-room.
1909. Eliz. Banks, Myst. Frances Farrington, xiv. 162. Toilet odds and ends, such as hair-pins, safety-pins,… thread and needles.
b. Special Comb.: toilet-basket, a wicker dressing-case; † toilet-cap, a cap formerly worn by men of fashion while dressing; toilet-case, a dressing-case; toilet-cloth, toilet-cover, a cloth for the toilet-table; toilet-cup, a cup, vase or the like used as a receptacle for small articles of the toilet; toilet-glass, a looking-glass for dressing, a toilet-table mirror; toilet-paper, soft paper prepared for shaving, hair-curling, use in lavatories, etc.; toilet-room, a dressing-room; in U.S. spec. a lavatory or bath-room (Funk’s Stand. Dict., 1895); toilet-sponge, a sponge of fine texture for washing; toilet-table, a dressing-table furnished with the utensils and materials of the toilet; toilet-vase, see toilet-cup; toilet-vinegar, aromatic vinegar used as an emollient; toilet-water, perfumed liquid for the toilet.
1908. Westm. Gaz., 23 Jan., 4/2. The new automobile *toilet basket is just the thing to carry when touring…. It contains … everything necessary for the toilet.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 3 Sept. To get [my Lord] … a *toilet cap, and comb case of silk, to make use of in Holland.
1889. H. F. Wood, Englishman of Rue Cain, xi. One of our governesses had a *toilette-case sent her as a present.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Toilet-cover.
1904. E. Nesbit, Phœnix & Carpet, xii. 226. He’s pulled the toilet-cover off the dressing-table with all the brushes and pots and things.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, lviii. The dreary little *toilet-glass on the dressing-table.
1877. The Times (Philad.), 8 Dec., 4/6. Advt. Fleischner & Co.’s. *Toilet Paper, 15 cts.
1884. Stationers’ & Booksellers’ Jrnl., 31 March, 3/1. An attractively put-up packet of toilet paper.
1794. Mar. J. Holroyd, in Girlhood of M. J. H. (1896), 289. We have put a *Toilette Table and a neat Pembroke Table … in your own Room.
1902. Daily Chron., 20 June, 10/4. Visitors to London … see her now at her toilet table.
1874. Birch, 1st & 2nd Egypt. Rooms Brit. Mus., 32. The present *toilet-vase is a remarkably fine example of this kind of ware [glazed steatite].
1867. Lady Herbert, Cradle L., viii. 218. Even scented soap and *toilette vinegar were ransacked from his stores.
1855. Dickens, Dorrit, II. xiv. A bottle of sweet *toilette water.
Hence Toiletry, (a) performance of the toilet; (b) the apparatus of the toilet; Toiletic a., of or pertaining to the toilet. (nonce-wds.)
1832. J. P. Kennedy, Swallow B., iv. Sundry evidences … of what—to coin a word,—I might call a scrupulous *toiletry.
1892. Edin. Rev., April, 433. The claim to have dug up Priam’s treasure and Helen’s toiletry.
1879. Baker, Cyprus, 13. He … plunged into … their numerous small packages, rumpling clean linen, and producing a *toilettic chaos.
