dimmity
English
editEtymology 1
editSeedimity.
Noun
editdimmity (countable anduncountable,pluraldimmities)
- Alternative form ofdimity(“fabric”)
- 1769, Robert Richardson (D.D., Prebendary of Lincoln.), Archibald James Edward Douglas, (Baron Douglas.), & James George Hamilton (7th Duke of Hamilton.),A State of the Evidence in the Cause between His Grace the Duke of Hammilton and Others, Pursuers, and Archibald Doublas, of Douglas, Esquire, Defender, page28:
- Nurse Favre is embarrassed with the English manner of swaddling: instead of flannel,dimmity, and linen, our nurses putdimmity, flannel, and linen; and the outermost swaddling-cloth ofdimmity is large and loose, and the child is sometimes left without it; as lady Jane's child probably was, when the French nurse received it in the month of July.
- 1829, Anna Maria Hall,Sketches of Irish character, page161:
- Short black silk cloak — whitedimmity petticoat — shoes and silver buckles — small black silk bonnet — hardly shading her round good-natured face, were singular gear, even in London; and her rich brogue whenever she inquired, " if any one could tell her, where Lady Brilliant's, and her young lady's house was in Grosvenor Place," caused a universal laugh, which she did not at all relish.
- 1850, John Holmes Agnew, Walter Hilliard Bidwell,The Eclectic Magazine: Foreign Literature - Volume 21, page60:
- Tell Mrs. James that they seized my flannel petticoats (although made up), which I had provided for winter wear, and upon muslins anddimmities.
- 2013, Charles Knowles Bolton,Scotch Irish Pioneers In Ulster And America,→ISBN, page1576:
- The clothing which he wore is described at some length: To his brother-in-law McClanathan his Camblet coat lined with green, and his black and white jacket; to his brother Samuel Shaw a Duroy coat, brown holland coat, anddimmity jacket; to Alexander Thien his coat with metal buttons.
Etymology 2
editApparently fromdim +-ity. Compare withdimmit,dimmet.
Noun
editdimmity (countable anduncountable,pluraldimmities)
- Dusk;twilight.
- 1895,The Woman at Home - Volume 4, page97:
- The glow became less. An amber cloud turned dull and lost its gold, changing into lead. “Dearydimmity l'” said Mrs. Hammett, sitting up.
- 1948,Chambers's journal, page232:
- Av coorse, times was better then — afore I went to sea as a tacker, I worked on a varm, an' I got nine shillun a week an' worked from dawn till afterdimmity (dusk), zummer an' winter.
- 1965, Fred James Speakman,A forest by night, page174:
- I have come so often after dusk, the whole feeling and tone of my thoughts are ofdimmity, the hours between dusk and day, of the velvet dark when a raised hand before my face is no more than a paleness.
- 2014, Henry Williamson,Tarka the Otter,→ISBN:
- Atdimmity it flew down the right bank of the river and perched on the same branch of the fallen oak and skirred to its mate, who roosted by day in a barn near the village.
Synonyms
edit- (dusk):crepusculum,mirkning,nightfall; see alsoThesaurus:dusk
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