[f. as prec. + -ING1.] That trims, in various senses of the verb; making trim, adorning, decorating; clipping, paring; colloq. or slang, ‘stunning,’ ‘rattling,’ excellent.
1559. Morwyng, Evonym., 187. We will referre amongste the trimmyng waters also, those waters wherwith whelkes and litle Pushes or Biles in the face, are made hoale.
1778. Earl Carlisle, in Jesse, Selwyn & Contemp. (1844), III. 341. Such trimming gales as would make such a landsman as you stare.
1825. Sporting Mag., XV. 340. I did not minute this run, but … it must have been a trimming one. Ibid. (1828), XXI. 297. Lord Cleveland’s hounds have had a trimming day in their Bedale country.
1896. Daily News, 31 Jan., 5/5. Expert dressmakers, forewomen, embroiderers, and trimming-women have been recruited for her wardrobe workroom.
b. Following a neutral or middle course between opposed principles or parties, esp. when this is done to stand in favor with both.
1683. Trimmer Catechised, 1. You follow … the Old Trimming Jews … who sometimes worship God, and sometimes Baal.
1685. Wood, Life, 23 April (O.H.S.), III. 141. It was [a] luke-warm, trimming sermon.
1686. W. Hopkins, trans. Ratramnus, Dissert. ii. (1688), 32. He now passeth at best but for a Trimming Catholick, with F. Cellot and his Friends.
c. 1780. Sir J. Harris, in Bancroft Hist. U.S. (1876), VI. xlix. 359. An ambiguous and trimming answer was given.
1793. G. Rose, in Ld. Auckland’s Corr. (1862), III. 165. The politics of his paper were very trimming.
Hence Trimmingly adv.
1718. Free-thinker, No. 118, ¶ 3. He will neither philosophize Trimmingly … nor reason Intemperately.
1789. A. C. Bower, Diaries & Corr. (1903), 97. The next day I had the gout trimmingly [cf. quots. 1778–1828 above].
