or piccadillo, subs. (old).—1. See quot. 1892. Also (2) the ornamental border of a broad collar worn by women early in 17th century, as in quot. 1607.
1607. DEKKER and WEBSTER, Northward Ho, iii. 1. A short Dutch waist with a round Catherine-wheel fardingale, a close sleeve with a cartouse collar, and a PICKADIL.
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. PICCADILLES … the seuerall divisions or peeces fastened together about the brimme of the collar of a doublet.
1616. JONSON, The Devil is an Ass, ii. 1.
| I am not in due symmetry, the man … | |
| Or of that truth of PICARDIL, in clothes, | |
| To boast a sovereignty o’er ladies. |
1621. FLETCHER [? and another], The Pilgrim, ii. 2.
| 1 Out. Do you want a band, sir? This is a coarse wearing; | |
| ’Twill sit but scurvily upon this collar, | |
| But patience is as good as a French PICKADEL. |
1670. R. LASSELS, The voyage of Italy, ii. 191. One half of his band about his neck was of a broad bonelace starched white: the other half was made of coarse lawn starched blew and standing out upon a PICKYDILLY of wire.
1892. FENNELL, Stanford Dictionary, s.v. PICCADILL … A stiff collar over which an ornamental fall or collar was arranged, worn first at the close of the 16th century. Perhaps the spelling PICCADIL was suggested by the Italian use of Picardia for ‘hanging,’ ‘place where persons are hanged.’
