Forms: α. 6 tolipane, -epan, tolliban, tulbant, (tal-), 6–7 tuliban, tolibant, -e, tulipan, 7 tulipant, -8, tullipant, -band, tul-, (tel-)-bent, dulipan, tulban; β. 6 torbant, turribant, turbanto, 6–9 turbant, -band, (6–7 -bante, -bent, 7 -bond, -bat); γ. 7 turben, -bine, -bane, 6– turban. [Altered form of Pers. dulbănd or dōlbănd, in vulgar Turkish pronounced tulbant, tul(i)pant, toli-, whence OIt. tolipante, tolipano, mod.It., Sp., Pg. turbante; obs. F. tolliban (15th c.), tulban, turbant (Cotgr.), F. turban; early mod.Du. turbant (Kilian), Du. tulband, Ger., Da., Sw. turban. It is not clear in which language the change of tul- to tur- took place; it may have been in S.W. India, or in Portuguese; we find it first in Hickock’s translation of Cesar Frederick, who cites it from the Portuguese Indies. Tulipant, turbant, were the most usual English forms in 17th c.; turban was used by Johnson and Gibbon. See also TULIP, which goes back to the same word.]
1. A head-dress of Moslem origin worn by men of Eastern nations, consisting of a cap round which is wound a long piece of linen, cotton, or silk.
(In quot. 1561, the tarboosh or fez as distinct from its wrapping.)
α. 1561. A. Jenkinson, Voy. (Hakl. Soc.), I. 132. Upon his head was a tolipane with a sharpe end standing upwards halfe a yard long, of riche cloth of golde, wrapped about with a piece of India silke of twentie yards long, wrought with golde, and on the left side of his tolipane stood a plume of feathers.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. xx. 108. Kinsemen of Mahomet … doe weare a green Tulbant. Ibid., IV. iv. 116. Their custome is to weare a Talbant high topped before.
1588. in Hakluyt, Voy. (1600), III. 821. Died linen cloth folded vp like vnto a Turkes Tuliban.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xxiv. (Arb.), 291. The Turke and Persian to weare great tolibants of ten, fifteene, and twentie elles of linnen a peece vpon their heads.
1596. Danett, trans. Comines (1614), 295. They were not vppon their head such a great roule of linnen as the Turkes doe, called Tolliban.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 117. Tulipan, Tolepan [see TULIP 1].
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, III. 160. On their heads they weare a blacke dulipan.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 201. Upon his tombe lieth … a little Turkish tulipant, much differing from those great turbants which the Turks now weare.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, III. xi. 255. With a great Tullipant on his head. Ibid., xiv. 267. These weare greene Tulipans, which colour none else may weare, and that onely on their head.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 174. A round globe, which in their tongue is called a Tulbent.
1652. H. L’Estrange, Amer. no Jewes, 57. A Cap of linnen somewhat full like a Turk’s Turhand or Tulliband.
1653. Greaves, Seraglio, 129. The name of the stuff (as we call ours lawn, cambrick, holland, &c.) is Telbent; whence we (falsly) call that which a Turk wears a Turbant, using the name of the stuff for the thing made up.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 314. The Coeffure of the Men, which they call Mendils, and the Turks, Tulbans, or Turbants, is made of Cotton cloath, or some silk Stuff,… of several Colours.
[1686. trans. Chardin’s Coronat. Solyman, 40. A Dhul-bandt (which our Writers … erroneously call a Turbant).]
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, IV. xi. (Roxb.), 440/2. In Egypt the great Sultan used a Tulipant or Turbat made of three score or more elles of thin stuffe diuersely folded.
β. 1588. T. Hickock, trans. C. Frederick’s Voy., 5. The Torbants are made in Diu.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. xi. 28. Old Cybele,… Wearing a Diademe embattild wide With hundred turrets, like a Turribant.
1598. R. Haydocke, trans. Lomazzo, II. 124. Some of them beare blewe turbantes;… the Iewes beare them yeallow.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. 168. With their turbents very white and cleane.
1607. R. C[arew], trans. Estienne’s World of Wonders, 235. A Turkish turbant [margin or tolibante].
1611. Shaks., Cymb., III. iii. 6. The Gates of Monarches Are Arch’d so high, that Giants may iet through And keepe their impious Turbonds on.
1652. Turband, 1653–86 Turbant, 1688 Turbat [see α.].
1697. Dampier, Voy., I. xv. 427. They wear no Hat, Cap, nor Turbat, nor any thing to keep off the Sun.
1710. Addison, Tatler, No. 161, ¶ 9. Ignorance with a Turband upon her Head.
1735. Johnson, Lobo’s Abyssinia, Voy., v. 30. He [the King] … with a Turbant on his Head, to which were fastned some Rings.
1839. Monteith, in Madras Jrnl. Lit. & Sc., X. 162. Dressed in their blue clothes and white turbands.
γ. 1597. Gerarde, Herbal, 117. Turban, Turfan [see TULIP 1].
1623. Cockeram, Turbine, a thing of linnen which the Turks weare on their heads.
1624. Bedell, Lett., iii. 78. There were also Turkish Turbanes, and Diadems of diuers fashions.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., III. 37. The turban worn in the Indies is commonly little.
1755. Johnson, Turban, turbant, turband.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), II. 77. The size of the head is encreased by a great variety of bandages, formed into a turban.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F., lvii. V. 667. His ample turban was fashioned in the shape of a crown.
1803. Med. Jrnl., X. 281. Oriental travellers, who exchange their hat for the turban, experience it to be a much cooler and more agreeable covering.
b. As the symbol of Mohammedanism, or of those who profess it.
1610. Marcelline, Triumphs Jas. I., 74. Go generous Race, so gather Laurels … chase the Turbants from those Provinces.
1660. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur., II. (1682), 55. Their Emperour commanded only the Turbants to be beaten.
1693. Mem. Cnt. Teckely, I. 13. The Turk … does not force the Transylvanians to take up the Turban.
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), II. V. iii. 139. As he refused to wear the turbant, his younger brother … offered himself in his stead.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., II. lxxix. Though turbans now pollute Sophia’s shrine, And Greece her very altars eyes in vain.
1878. Villari, Machiavelli (1898), I. iii. 160. I was better fitted for the turban than the cowl.
c. A figure or representation of a turban, e.g., on Moslem funeral monuments. Also in Her.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 224. Five great Sepulchres, in one whereof a Basha is Interred, having his Turban cut in Marble, at one end of his Tomb.
1717. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to Abbé Conti, 29 May. They set up a pillar with a carved turbant on the top of it.
1720. Strype, Stow’s Surv. (1754), II. V. xiv. 320/2. A Turk … upon his Head a Turbant, Argent … with a Tassel upon the Top, Gules.
1766. Porny, Elem. Her. (1787), 214. The Great-Turk bears over his arms a Turband … under two Coronets,… and the uppermost is surmounted with Crescents.
1844. E. Warburton, Crescent & Cross (1846), II. xvii. 249. A cemetery, whose sculptured turbans showed that the neighbouring village was Moslem.
1876. [see TURBANED b].
d. Applied to the head-dress of the ancient Jewish high priest.
1624. Bp. Hall, Imprese of God, I. Wks. 442. An honourable Motto; such as was written vpon the [Hebrew], the Turbant, of the High priest; Holinesse to the Lord.
1885. Bible (R.V.), Exod. xxviii. 37. Upon the forefront of the mitre [marg. turban].
e. transf. and fig. Applied to a head-dress, or a head of hair, likened to a turban.
1609. B. Jonson, Sil. Wom., I. i. A huge turbant of night-caps on his head, buckled over his eares.
1609. Bp. W. Barlow, Answ. Nameless Cath., 161. Obedience to Princes makes not for the Popes Triple Turbant.
1727. A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. xiii. 152. A sanctified Rascal of 7 Foot high,… with a large Turband of his own Hair wreathed about his Head.
1827. Steuart, Planter’s G. (1828), 429. The woolly head of the Negro; who, without that light and natural turban, would [etc.].
f. Erroneously supposed to be worn by women of Eastern nations and Jewesses.
1805–6. Campbell, Turkish Lady, vii. ‘Captive! could the brightest jewel From my turban set thee free?’ ‘Lady, no!’
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, viii. Her [Rebecca’s] form … was shewn to advantage by a sort of Eastern dress,… Her turban of yellow silk suited well with the darkness of her complexion.
1835. Ladies’ Cabinet, Nov., 337. The Jewish style of coiffure, as copied from the daughters of Israel in their days of splendour, will be decidedly fashionable. We have seen already some turbans à l’Israelite,… that have been ordered by elegantes of high fashion.
g. Cookery. (See quot. 1911: perh. only as Fr.)
1846. Soyer, Cookery, 514. Turban de Meringues glacé. Make a turban as directed in the last … fill the turban, at the moment of serving [etc.].
1911. Webster, Turban … 5. Cookery. A drum-shaped case for entrées, fillets, etc.
2. A head-dress made to resemble or suggest the oriental turban, worn by ladies in Europe and America during the late 18th and the earlier part of the 19th c., and temporarily revived in 1908. Cf. turban-fold in 8.
1776. Lady’s Mag., March, 118/1. Ladies’ … Hair … very … high … Turbans more the taste than caps.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, III. 325. Assuring her [the cap] was grown so old-fashioned, that not a lady’s maid … would now be seen in it, she offered to pin her up a turban.
1823. Lady Blessington, Sk. & Fragm., 59. Went to the Opera: wore my tissue turban.
1835. Ladies’ Cabinet, March, 199. Hats and turbans are equally fashionable for ladies who do not dance.
1838. Disraeli, Corr. w. Sister (1886), 96. She was most becomingly dressed in a white turban of a very recherché construction.
1908. Paris Fashions, 15 Feb., 6/2. The large ‘de Stael’ turbans, such as are seen in old pictures, are being worn at the theatre.
b. A style of hair-dressing for women.
1909. Daily Graphic, 13 Oct., 13/3. The up-to-date turban … is in a loose wave wound round with a plain strand of smooth hair. Ibid. The turban coiffure. Ibid., 25 Oct., 13/3. The Revived Turban. Hair draped round head in turban fashion.
3. A bright-colored cloth worn as a head-dress by negroes (esp. women) in the West Indies and southern U.S.
1839. Darwin, Voy. Nat., i. (1879), 4. Their black skins and snow-white linen being set off by coloured turbans and large shawls.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xx. Miss Ophelia found Topsy with her very best scarlet India Canton crape shawl wound round her head for a turban.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, III. iii. A … negro … with a bird of paradise in his turbant.
4. Name for a small brimless hat, or round cap with closely turned up brim, worn, chiefly by women and children, since about 1850.
1862. [implied in turban-hat in 8].
1865. Melton, Hints on Hats, 53. The boating-hat of straw; the ‘turban,’ or ‘pork-pie’; the fishing-cap, [etc.].
5. Zool. A name for certain species of echinoderms, esp. the genus Cidaris.
1713. Petiver, Aquat. Anim. Amboinæ, Tab. viii. Echinus S. Diadema Turcarum.… Turks Turband.
1837. Penny Cycl., IX. 262/1. Fossil Echini…. Subspheroidal species, more elevated than wide … (The Turbans). Example, Cidaris imperialis.
6. a. The spire or whorl of a twisted univalve shell. rare. b. A mollusk of the genus Turbo.
Taken to represent L. turbo; but confounded with turban.
1681. Grew, Musæum, I. VI. i. 125. A Shell like the Oriental, with a knobed Turban or Whirle.
1685. Phil. Trans., XV. 1019. Fig. 3d. Represents the Shell in its true bigness,… there are six or seven spiral lines or Rounds in the Turban.
1815. W. Wood, Gen. Conchol., I. Dict. Terms, 60. All the whirls, or spires, of a Univalve, taken collectively, are called the turban.
1819. W. Turton, Conchol. Dict., 198. Turbo petræus. Rock Turban.
7. Florist’s name for cultivated varieties of Ranunculus; more fully Turk’s turban.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 330. Turk’s Turban, Ranunculus.
1882. Standard, 6 Nov., 1/8. 25 Ranunculi, scarlet turban. 25 Ranunculi, mixed turban.
8. attrib. and Comb., as turban-cap, -cloth, encrinite, -flower, -fold, † grout-head, hat, -roll, style, -wisp; turban-crested, -crowned, -like, -shaped, adjs.; turban-eye, a pillared eye, found in the males of some May-flies; turban gourd, a variety of Cucurbita maxima: cf. turban squash; turban-lily, the Siberian Lilium Pomponium, bearing deep-red spotted flowers and edible bulbs; turban-shell = 5, 6 b; turban squash, a variety of squash or pumpkin in which the fleshy receptacle does not extend over the ovary, which therefore protrudes so as to resemble a turban (Webster, 1911); turban-stone, a Moslem tombstone, a pillar having at the head the carved representation of a turban: cf. 1 c; turban swathe, in hair-dressing: cf. 2 b; turban-top, ? the Bishop’s Mitre mushroom, Helvella Mitra; turban toque: see quot.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 15 Feb., 3/2. All toques, and especially those of tulle, had more or less the *turban build.
1881. ‘Rita,’ Lady Coquette, iii. She’s got a *turban-cap to match it.
1900. S. J. Weyman, Sophia, x. Sir Hervey’s turban-cap and embroidered gown.
1877. J. T. Beer, Proph. Nineveh, i. 17. My leather wallet and best *turban cloth.
1894. Mrs. Dyan, All in a Man’s K., i. The General’s carriage, with its *turban-crested servants.
1822. J. Parkinson, Outl. Oryctol., 174. The vertebral column of the *turban Encrinite.
1907. Nature, 4 April, 541/2. These *turban-eyes are restricted to the males of these may-flies, which seek the females during flight in the gloaming.
1841. Browning, Pippa Passes, Introd. 93. Fairies watch unroll Such *turban-flowers.
1898. Daily News, 31 May, 6/4. *Turban folds of tulle are worn in the evening … at the opera. In one instance the turban was in palest blue.
1884. De Candolle’s Orig. Cultiv. Pl., 250. The principal varieties of Cucurbita maxima are the great yellow gourd,… the Spanish, the *turban gourd.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, 39. Those *Turbanto grout-heads, that hang all men by the throates on Iron hookes.
1862. Eng. Wom. Dom. Mag., IV. 237/1. The velvet *Turban Hats that are being worn by little boys.
1862. Miss Yonge, C’tess Kate, ix. Sylvia’s face was exposed by a little turban hat.
1909. Daily Graphic, 20 Oct., 13/3. A swathed turban hat of pale blue velvet.
1900. Dundee Advertiser, 16 April, 4. Stalwart Zouaves … in their richly embroidered jackets, wide trousers, and quaint *turban-like headgear.
1884. Miller, Plant-n., 78. *Turban Lily, Lilium Pomponium.
1762. Lond. Chron., XI. 167/3. The present *Turband Roll, which is now wore round the Mecklenburgh caps.
1776. Withering, Brit. Plants (1796), IV. 181. Fungi. Agaricus … convex hemispherical,… at length *turban-shaped and viscid.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., IV. 738. The epiglottis … becoming enormously swollen and turban-shaped.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., *Turban-Shell, Cidaris,… the name of a genus of the echinodermata.
1895. Funk’s Stand. Dict., Turban-shell, a gastropod of the genus Turbo, or its shell.
1872. J. Fergusson, Rude Stone Mon., x. 404. A headstone which, if it is not the *turban-stone that is usually found in Turkish tombs of modern date, is most singularly like it.
1909. Punch, 10 Nov., 326/1. Women are in revolt against the *‘turban’ style of coiffure.
1912. Daily News, 13 Aug., 5. The imported *‘Turban swathe’ has had a very short run.
1828. Webster, *Turban-top, a plant of the genus Helvella; a kind of fungus or mushroom. Cyc.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 18 Feb., 3/1. The *turban toque,… in form pertaining to the fez, is just encircled with twisted tulles and finished by some one note of height.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 2 Dec., 2/1. He … could doze in a tree like a crow (the *turban-wisp passed round his body and tied to a branch steadied him from falling).
Hence Turbanesque a., having the appearance of a turban; Turbanette, a diminutive turban; Turbanless a., without or destitute of a turban; Turbanwise adv., in the manner of a turban.
1840. Browning, Sordello, I. 708. He Partook the poppy’s red effrontery, Till Autumn spoiled their fleering quite with rain, And, turbanless, a coarse, brown, rattling crane Lay bare.
1882. E. O’Donovan, Merv Oasis, xiii. (1884), 142. Not turban-wise, but rather as if it were applied as a bandage for some cranial injury.
1890. Jessopp, Trials Country Parson, 64. Do you mean … that you will persist in sporting that emasculated felt turbanette?
1891. Stevenson, South Seas (1908), III. iii. 221. The hair is worn turban-wise in a frizzled bush.
1893. Nat. Observer, 25 Feb., 361/1. Caps, too—Greek, Byzantine, turbanesque—are popular vanities.
