▪ I. ratteen1
(rəˈtiːn)
Also 7–8 ratine, 8 ratin, 8–9 rateen.
[ad. F. ratine (1642), of unknown origin.]
A thick twilled woollen cloth, usually friezed or with a curled nap, but sometimes dressed; a frieze or drugget. Now only Hist.
| 1685 Lond. Gaz. No. 2042/4 A..Cloak Lined with a Scarlet Ratteen. 1721 Swift Epilogue Wks. 1755 III. ii. 182 We'll rig in Meath-street Egypt's haughty queen, And Anthony shall court her in ratteen. 1721 C. King Brit. Merch. II. 114 Cloths, Ratines, and Serges. 1785 G. A. Bellamy Apol., etc. III. 49, I recommended him to have a brown rateen, which at that time was much wore. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas x. x. ¶12 A cushion of ratteen under my head, and a coverlet over me of the same stuff. 1850 W. Irving Goldsmith xxv. 256 A half-dress suit of ratteen, lined with satin. |
| attrib. 1755 Mem. Capt. P. Drake I. vi. 42, I had a Ratteen Coat that I brought from Dublin. |
b. A piece of ratteen.
| 1706 Lond. Gaz. No. 4218/3, 4 Ratteens, which make out 1028 Auns, and 5 Auns of Shalloon. |
▪ II. ratteen2 rare—1.
(See quot.)
| 1847 Smeaton Builder's Man. 84 There is another kind of mahogany, known by the name of Ratteen, which is often employed for panels, as its dimensions are large enough to prevent jointing. |