tweed
pronunciation
How to pronounce tweed in British English:
UK [twi:d]
How to pronounce tweed in American English:
US [twid]
-
- Noun:
- thick woolen fabric used for clothing; originated in Scotland
- (usually in the plural) trousers
Word Origin
- tweed
- tweed: [19] The story attached to the origin of tweed is that it resulted from a misreading of tweel, or perhaps more plausibly the past form tweeled, Scottish variants of twill or twilled, under the influence of the name of the Scottish river Tweed. Early accounts date its coinage to 1831, and ascribe it to the London cloth merchant James Locke (although Locke himself in his book Tweed and Don 1860 does not make any such claim). The term was in general use by 1850, and it was registered as a trademark. (Twill itself is etymologically ‘two-threaded’ cloth; it is a compound formed from twi- ‘two’ and Latin līcium ‘thread’.)
- tweed (n.)
- 1839, a trade name for a type of woolen fabric: MICHAEL NOWAK, alias John Mazurkiewiez, was indicted for stealing on the 15th of April 2 ¼ yards of woollen cloth, called tweed, value 12s., and 2 ¼ yards of woollen cloth, called doe skin, value 17s., the goods of George Priestley Heap. [London Central Criminal Court minutes of evidence from 1839] This apparently developed from the "Tweed Fishing or Travelling Trousers" advertised in numerous publications from 1834-1838 by the clothing house of Doudney & Son, 49 Lombard Street. So celebrated has amateur rod-fishing in the Tweed become, that the proper costume of the sportsman has now become an object of speculation among the London tailors, one of whom advertises among other articles of dress "Tweed Fishing Trousers." The anglers who have so long established their head-quarters at Kelso, for the purpose of enjoying the amusement of salmon fishing in the Tweed, have had excellent sport lately : some of the most skilful having caught five or six salmon a day, weighing from six to fourteen pounds each. ["New Sporting Magazine," June 1837] Thus ultimately named for the River Tweed in Scotland. The place name has not been explained, and it is perhaps pre-Celtic and non-Indo-European.
Example
- 1. The tweed is woven especially for huntsman on the isle of islay in scotland .
- 2. A herringbone tweed jacket in brown , blue or gray : tweed is the easiest and most classic way for a man to bring color into his wardrobe .
- 3. Another contingent is formed by young , successful men and women whose style and theology are conservative : believers in " salvation by tweed alone " , as one clerical wag dubs them .
- 4. Now we are headed to nice , where we will be part of a pop-up in a shop dedicated to american designers , and will sell a pre-fall collection of tracy 's tweed and lace / brocade dresses .
- 5. Sherlock holmes is not just doing wonders for bbc 's ratings , the eccentric sleuth can perhaps also be credited with re-igniting the fortunes of british heritage label belstaff whose tweed overcoat has become a latter-day cape and deerstalker .