▪ I. frock, n.
(frɒk)
Forms: 4–5 frokke, 5 frogge, 4–6 frok(e, Sc. or north. frog, 6–7 frocke, 6– frock.
[a. F. froc (recorded from 12th c.); of uncertain origin.
Cf. Pr. floc frock, med.L. froccus, floccus. Some scholars regard the fl- forms as the original, and identify the word with L. floccus, OF. floc flock n.2 Others regard froc as adopted from a Teut. word, OHG. hroch (once), OS. hroc (once), OFris. hrokk (rare); but in these forms it is believed by many Germanists that the hr- is a misspelling without phonetic significance, the usual forms being OHG. roch (mod.Ger. rock), OFris. rokk, OE. rocc.]
1. A long habit with large open sleeves; the outer and characteristic dress of a monk. Rarely, a cassock (of an Anglican clergyman). Hence, the priestly office which it indicates. Cf. unfrock v.
| 1350 Durh. MS. Cha. Roll, In xj pannis..præter ij frokkes. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 64 Of a freris frokke were the fore⁓sleuys. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 179/2 Froke, monkes habyte..cuculla. 1466 Paston Lett. No. 549 II. 270 For a cope called a frogge of worsted for the Prior of Bromholm xxvi s. viii d. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Luke xix. 3–4 An other poynteth to some one of the pharisaical sort, clad in a blacke frocke or cope. 1683 Temple Mem. Wks. 1731 I. 465 A French Monk, who some time since had left his Frock for a Petticoat. 1762 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. I. iii. 51 As the frock of no religious order ever was green, this cannot be meant for a friar. 1810 Scott Lady of L. iii. iv, The Hermit by it stood, Barefooted, in his frock and hood. 1887 W. Gladden Parish Problems 333 It was the utterance of such words as these that cost the great Carmelite preacher [Father Hyacinthe] his frock. |
2. a. An upper garment worn chiefly by men; a long coat, tunic, or mantle.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1742 Þe kyng comaunded anon to cleþe þat wyse, In frokkes of fyn cloþ. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 375 With blak froggis all helit thai The Armouris at thai on thame had. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxxviii. 57 Ilkane a gud Burdowne in hand, And royd Frogis on þare Armyng. c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 241, I wold be fayn of this frog [Christ's coat] myght it fall vnto me. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems li. 3 To giff a doublett he is als doure, As it war off ane futt syd frog. 1527 Lanc. Wills I. 6 And also that he geiff to Richard Fene a jakett called my frocke. 1611 Bible Ecclus. xl. 4 From him that weareth purple, and a crown, vnto him that is clothed with a linnen frocke. 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. V, clxxix, Another girds his Frock, w{supt}{suph} a sure Thonge. 1700 Dryden Sigism. & Guisc. 144 Yet (for the wood perplexed with thorns he knew) A frock of leather o'er his limbs he drew. 1848 W. K. Kelly tr. L. Blanc's Hist. Ten Years II. 559 Kings at arms covered with long frocks of cloth of gold. |
| fig. 1604 Shakes. Ham. iii. iv. 164 (Qo. 2) That monster custome..to the vse of actions faire and good..giues a frock or Liuery That aptly is put on to refraine night. |
b. frock of mail: a defensive garment, armour.
Cf. coat of mail.
| 1671 Milton Samson 133 Samson..Made arms ridiculous, useless the..frock of mail Adamantean proof. 1835 Browning Paracelsus iii. 715, I have addressed a frock of heavy mail, Yet may not join the troop of sacred knights. |
| fig. 1841–4 Emerson Ess., Politics Wks. (Bohn) I. 244 The gladiators in the lists of power feel, through all their frocks of force and simulation the presence of worth. |
3. a. A loose outer garment worn by peasants and workmen; an overall; more fully
smock-frock.
| a 1668 Davenant News from Plymouth iv. i, Cable. Come your affair, Squire of the Frock! Briefly Dispatch! Where is this courteous Damsel? Porter. At my House, Sir. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 95 Flesh-coloured Vests, somewhat like our Brickmakers Frocks. 1724 De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 237, I had pistols under my grey frock. 1777 Watson Philip II (1839) 525 Three officers..disguised like the peasants of that country with long frocks. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxxvi. 136 The duck frocks for tarring down rigging. 1883 C. Walford Fairs 153 Dealers in haubergs, or waggoners' frocks. |
b. A wearer of a smock-frock; a poor person.
| 1612 W. Parkes Curtaine-Dr. (1876) 25 The rich and the poore, euen from the furd gown to the sweating frock. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. v. ii, Porter. Sir, I did give it him. P. sen. What..A frock spend sixpence! |
c. A woollen ‘guernsey’ or ‘jersey’ worn by sailors;
esp. in
Guernsey frock or
Jersey frock.
| 1811 W. Thom Hist. Aberd. vi. 150 Besides stockings, they make frocks, mitts, and all sorts of hosiery. 1825 Jamieson, Frock, a sort of worsted netting worn by sailors, often in lieu of a shirt. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Voy. Eng. Wks. (Bohn) II. 13 The sailors have dressed him in [a] Guernsey frock. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Frog, an old term for a seaman's coat or frock. Ibid., Jersey frocks, woollen frocks supplied to seamen. |
4. The outer garment, for indoor wear, of women and children, consisting of a bodice and skirt; a gown, dress.
The word is now applied chiefly to the garment worn by children and young girls,
cf. short frock; that worn by women is commonly called a
dress;
gown is also current, though (
exc. in the
U.S.) less generally. (But in the language of fashionable society the use of
frock for ‘dress’ has within the last few years been revived.)
| 1538 Bury Wills (Camden) 134, I wyll my goddowter and seruant, shall haue my wosted kyrtell..and my froke. 1550 Crowley Way to Wealth 325 Let youre wiues therefore put of theire fine frockes and Frenche hoodes. 1613 Drayton Poly-olb. xviii. 284 And on her loynes a frock with many a swelling pleate. 1705 Lond. Gaz. No. 4117/4 Cloathed with a red Damask Coat, with blue Flowers, and over it a white Holland Frock. Ibid. No. 4149/4 James Smith, upwards of 4 years of Age, in a hanging Sleeve Coat, and a painted Frock..is missing. 1755 Johnson s.v. Frock, A kind of gown for children. 1818 La Belle Assemblée XVII. No. 108. 87/2 The newest ball-dress is composed of a frock of tulle, over a rose-coloured slip of satin. 1833 H. Martineau Three Ages iii. 108 Striving to patch up once more the girl's frock and the boy's coat. 1867 Trollope Chron. Barset II. xlv. 9, I don't think I've ever been in London since I wore short frocks. 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. vii. 143 Fishky..looked lovely in her white satin frock and orange-blossoms. 1884 Girl's Own Paper 28 June 618/3, I think ‘frock’ seems to be applied to the morning costume, and ‘dress’ to that of evening only. 1889 Barrie Window in Thrums 172 There could never be more than a Sabbath frock and an everyday gown for her. |
5. a. A coat with long skirts. In
mod. quots. = frock-coat.
| 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. vi, A light coat like a frock. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. (1812) I. 387 A gentleman dressed in a green frock came in. 1770 Richardson Anecd. Russian Emp. 325 A light blue frock with silver frogs. 1839–40 W. Irving Wolfert's R. (1855) 162, I observed the Duke of Wellington..He was alone, simply attired in a blue frock. 1855 Thackeray Newcomes I. 128 Dine in your frock..if your dress-coat is in the country. 1876 Besant & Rice Gold. Butterfly III. 194 The coat..a comfortable easy old frock, a little baggy at the elbows. |
b. A coat of a similar ‘cut’ used as a military uniform;
spec. see
quot. 1881.
| 1753 Hanway Trav. (1762) I. vii. xcii. 422 He..appears..always in his regimentals, which are a blue cloth frock with silver brandenburgs. 1881 Wilhelm Milit. Dict., Frock, in the British service, the undress regimental coat of the guards, artillery, and royal marines. 1890 19th Cent. Nov. 842 The stable jacket will retain its freshness, as its owner drills in his ‘service frock’. |
c. transf. A
député or politician.
| [1917 H. Wilson Diary 24 Apr. (1927) I. xviii. 342 It makes it all the more necessary to put off the next meeting of the Frock Coats till after that date.] 1919 Ibid. 28 Mar. II. xxvii. 177, I think the Frocks have gone mad. They sit and talk all day. 1921 W. Orpen Onlooker in France xiv. 100 A little mass of black frock-coated figures—‘frocks’ as we called them. 1926 Blackw. Mag. Oct. 455/2 These deputies were not as the ‘frocks’ of 1914–18, remarkable only for their ignorance of matters military. 1928 Observer 26 Aug. 5 Contemptible as a soldier, Lord George was impossible as a ‘frock’. |
6. attrib. and
Comb.,
frock-body;
frock-like adj.;
† frock-clothes = frock-dress;
frock-dress (
rare), (
a) dress of which a frock-coat is a part: so
frock-suit; (
b) a form of court dress (see
quot. 1875);
† frock-man = 3 b;
frock-uniform, undress uniform (see 5 b).
| 1862 F. Wilford Maiden of our own day 97, I can make this *frock-body while you are making the skirt. |
| 1769 Public Advertiser 1 June 3/2 Silk Cloths..for Gentlemens Dress and *Frock Cloaths. |
| 1854 J. Buchanan in Harper's Mag. Jan. (1884) 256/1, I was invited ‘in *frock dress’ to the dinner. |
| 1875 Dress worn by Gentlemen at Court 3 Frock Dress is worn at Dinners and Evening Parties, where uniform is not worn, and consists of Dress Coat lappelled, Waistcoat, Breeches or Pantaloons, with white Cravat. 1903 Westm. Gaz. 17 Nov. 1/1 ‘Windsor Uniform—Frock dress’ is the order for evening attire at Court this week. |
| 1886 W. J. Tucker E. Europe 183 From beneath his vest there hung..the *frock-like ‘gatya’ (drawers) of the Magyar peasant. |
| 1657 Reeve God's Plea for Nineveh ii. 46 If ye fight for the wall, let not the *frokman take the right hand of you in worth. |
| 1810 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. VI. 591 We..shall be highly flattered by your company..whether in full or in *frock uniforms. |
Hence
ˈfrockhood, the state of being dressed in a (short) frock;
† ˈfrockified ppl. a., clad in a (monk's) frock.
| 1708 Motteux Rabelais iv. xlvi. (1737) 186 A frockify'd Hobgoblin. 1861 Wynter Soc. Bees 124 How many Billies and Bobbies, revelling in all the glorious ease of frockhood, have you not reduced to the cruel purgatory of breeches. |
▪ II. frock, v. (
frɒk)
[f. frock n.] trans. To provide with or dress in a frock;
lit. and
fig. b. To invest (a person) with priestly office or privilege.
Cf. unfrock v.
| 1828 W. S. Landor Wks. (1846) I. 535/2 A gentleman whom perhaps nothing but the hope of gratifying his amiable passions had cowled and frocked. 1860 All Year Round No. 54. 79, I have seen baby London short-coated, and frocked, and breeched. 1878 Browning Poets Croisic xcv, I'll..femininely frock, Your poem masculine that courts La Rocque. 1896 Fairbairn in Contemp. Rev. Mar. 315 Founding a Jerusalem bishopric and frocking its new bishop. |