Dimity

Dimity
A bustle made from dimity, 1881.

Dimity is a lightweight, sheer cotton fabric having at least two warp threads thrown into relief to form fine cords. It is a cloth commonly employed for bed upholstery and curtains, and usually white, though sometimes a pattern is printed on it in colors. It is stout in texture, and woven in raised patterns. Originally dimity was made of silk or wool, but since the 18th century it has been woven almost exclusively of cotton.

Contents

Name

Dimity is also a girls' name, which, while still uncommon, is most popular in Australia.

Article of clothing

A dimity was a bit of draping worn by performers of the Poses Plastiques, which was an early form of strip tease. Performers wore flesh colored silk body stockings and a dimity to give the illusion of modesty.

Theatrical references

  • In the Finale of Act I of The Pirates of Penzance, the Pirates sing, "Pray observe the magnanimity we display to lace and dimity".
  • At the conclusion of The Insect Play, by brothers Karel and Josef Čapek and translated by Paul Selver, a group of school children sings: "As I went down to Shrewsbury Town, / I saw my love in a dimity gown: / And all so gay I gave it away, / I gave it away—my silver crown."

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dimity — Dim i*ty, n. [Prob. fr. Gr. ? of double thread, dimity; di = di s twice + ? a thread of the warp; prob. through D. diemet, of F. dimite, d[ e]mitte. Cf. {Samite}.] A cotton fabric employed for hangings and furniture coverings, and formerly used… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Dimĭty — Dimĭty, s. Dimites …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Dimity — Dimity, dichter Baumwollenstoff, bei dem in der Anordnung von Längsstreifen Ketten und Schußköper abwechseln …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Dimity — Dimity, s. Weberei …   Lexikon der gesamten Technik

  • Dimity — Dimĭty (engl.), dichtes geköpertes Baumwollzeug, dem Barchent ähnlich …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Dimity — Dimity, engl. geköpertes Baumwollenzeug …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • dimity — mid 15c., from It. dimiti, pl. of dimito, a name for a kind of strong cotton cloth, from M.L. dimitum, from Gk. dimitos of double thread, from di (see DI (Cf. di ) (1)) + mitos warp thread, thread (see MITRE (Cf. mitre)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • dimity — [dim′ə tē] n. pl. dimities [ME demit < ML dimitum < MGr dimitos, double threaded < dis , TWO + mitos, a thread: cf. TWILL] a thin, corded or patterned cotton cloth …   English World dictionary

  • dimity — /dim i tee/, n., pl. dimities. a thin cotton fabric, white, dyed, or printed, woven with a stripe or check of heavier yarn. [1400 50; earlier dimite, late ME demyt < ML dimettum < Gk dímiton, n. use of neut. of dímitos double threaded, equiv. to… …   Universalium

  • dimity — noun (plural ties) Etymology: alteration of Middle English demyt, from Medieval Latin dimitum, from Middle Greek dimitos of double thread, from Greek di + mitos warp thread Date: 1570 a sheer usually corded cotton fabric of plain weave in checks… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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