† ˈwoolward, a. Obs.
Forms: see wool n.; also 6 woldward.
[ME. wolleward, prob. alteration of *wollewerd (of which there is perh. a relic in the form wellewerd, for wollewerd, of quot. 1480), from an unrecorded OE. *wullwerd, f. wull wool n. + -werd, -wered wearing, clothed (in), f. stem of werian wear v.1 (cf. OE. l{iacu}nenwerd clothed in linen, and prob. sc{iacu}rwered, sweᵹlwered ‘clothed’ or enveloped in brightness). The assimilation of -werd to -ward, initiated by lack of stress, would be furthered by the prevalence of the word in the phr. to go woolward (cf. to go heavenward).]
Wearing wool next the skin, esp. as a penance: chiefly in to go woolward.
| c 1315 Shoreham Poems i. 1024 Baruot go, Wolle-ward and wakynge. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 1 Wolleward and wete-shoed went I forth after. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 43 Saynt Thomas, be come to Caunturbury, wolward and barfote. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. xcix. f 1, Good men..that wenten baarfoot & wellewerd [Brut 99 wolward] for to haue mercy of the ij. kynges. c 1489 ― Sonnes of Aymon xxvii. 574 He is goon his wayes wulwarde & barefote wyth a sory staff in his hande. 1508 Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. cii. Wks. (1876) 181 Truly it was a more glorious sight to se saynt Poule..in hungre, thurst, watchynge, in colde, goynge wol⁓ward. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 717 The naked truth of it is, I haue no shirt, I go woolward for penance. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. v. i. 627 Poore people fare coursly, worke hard, goe wollward and bare. 1646 Trapp Comm. John xvi. 2 If he thought his shirt were infected with that heresie, he would tear it from his own back, and rather goe woolward. 1822 Scott Nigel xvii, To walk wool-ward in winter. |
b. in attrib. position or comb.
| 1493 [H. Parker] Dives & Pauper iv. xxi. (W. de W. 1496) 186/2 Auowe that she hath made to god as of fastynge, of pylgremage, contynence, wolwarde goynge, and such other. 1531 Tindale Expos. 1 John (1537) 23 His fastynge, his woldward goynge, bare foote goynge. 1628 Bp. Hall Serm. 30 Mar., Wks. 1634 II. 327 Their woolward and barefoot walks. 1655 [G. Hall] Tri. Rome vi. 73 What woolward penances, what weary pilgrimages? |
c. to lay woolward: to bury in wool. rare.
| 1604 T. M. Black Bk. in Middleton's Wks. (Bullen) VIII. 25 The sexton..so laid the dead bodies wool-ward. |