ˈnight-rail Now only Hist. or dial.
[f. night n. + rail n.1]
A loose wrap, dressing-jacket, or dressing-gown, as worn by women when in undress.
| 1554 Bury Wills (Camden) 146 Oon of my night kerchers, and oon of my night railes. 1626 Middleton Mayor of Queenb. iii. ii, To see men wear stomachers or night-rails. c 1640 Shirley Capt. Underwit i. in Bullen Old Pl. II. 327 What paid you for this dead mans hair? Where's your night rail? 1688 Holme Armoury iii. i. 12/2 He beareth Sable, a Set-Hood, laced, conjoyned to a Night raile... Some term this a Hooded Night⁓raile. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 245 ¶2 Four striped Muslin Night-Rails very little frayed. 1753 Richardson Grandison v. xliii, Does it not look as if she would have been an useful creature in the days of nightrail and notableness? 1793 Regal Rambler 24 The ragged remains of a nightrail. 1822 Scott Nigel xvii, I could wager a rose⁓noble..that she has clean head-gear and a soiled night-rail. 1852 Thackeray Esmond i. vi, My lady sitting up in the bed, showing herself full dressed under her night-rail. 1891 T. Hardy Tess xxxiv, When we was packing your few traps and your Mis'ess's night-rail and dressing things. |