wardrobe
(ˈwɔːdrəʊb)
Forms: 4–7 wardrop, -ropp, 5–6 -roppe, (4–5 wadrop, 5 warderop, 6 warderoppe), 4–5 warderope, 4–8 wardrope, warderobe, (5 warddrope, 6 warderob, Sc. wardroippe, -rape, wairdrope, 7 waredrop), 4– wardrobe.
[a. OF. warderobe, north-eastern var. of garderobe: see garderobe.]
† 1. a. A room in which wearing apparel (sometimes armour) was kept; esp. a room adjoining the ‘chamber’ or sleeping apartment; hence, a dressing-room. Obs.
In the 16–18th c. often applied (after the contemporary F. garderobe) to a room for keeping costly objects generally, not merely articles of clothing.
| 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love ii. ix. (Skeat) l. 140 Jupiter hath in his warderobe bothe garmentes of joye and of sorowe. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 901 Aftyre euesange, sir Arthure hyme selfene Wente to hys wardrope, and warpe of hys wedez, Armede hym in a actone [etc.]. Ibid. 2622 A knafe of his chambyre Has wroghte in his wardrope wynters and ȝeres, One his longe armour. Ibid. 4217 He braydes owte a brande..That..In the wardrop of Walyngfordhe was wonte to be kepede. a 1400–50 Bk. Curtasye 429 in Babees Bk., The marshalle shalle herber alle men in fere, That ben of court of any mestere; Saue þe lordys chambur, þo wadrop to, Þo vssher of chambur schalle tent þo two. c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 939 In þe warderobe ye must muche entende besily the robes to kepe well & also to brusche þem clenly. 1519 Registr. Aberdon. (Maitl. Club) II. 174 The chawmer abun þe wardrape with Item ane standing bed of aik wiþouit lofting. 1574 in Gage Hengrave (1822) 202 To young John Dawson for xvij days work sewing in the wardrope, vs. viijd. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. x. 39 The third had of their wardrobe custodie, In which were not rich tyres, nor garments gay,..But clothes meet to keepe keene could away. 1596 Ralegh Discov. Guiana 11 He had in his wardroppe hollow statues of golde. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. Chorus 2 Now..silken Dalliance in the Wardrobe lyes: Now thriue the Armorers. 1631 May tr. Barclay's Mirr. Mindes i. 170 His Lord laughing heartily, commanded a furrd gowne to bee brought out of his wardrope, and put vpon him. 1683 J. Reid Scots Gard'ner (1907) 4 Above the dining-room story may be bed⁓chambers,..and above these you may have garrets for wardrops. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 25 Jan. 1645, In the wardrobe above they shew'd us fine wrought plate, porcelan, [etc.]. 1717 Prior Dove xxv, Her Keys He takes; her Doors unlocks; Thro' Wardrobe, and thro' Closet bounces. 1756–7 Keysler's Trav. (1760) I. 37 In the royal wardrobe at Paris, they shew you the whole suit of armour which Francis wore on that memorable day. 1831 Scott Kenilw. vi, With this enviable sleeping apartment..corresponded two wardrobes, or dressing-rooms as they are now termed. 1847 Halliwell, Wardrope, a dressing-room. Yorksh. 1859 R. Piddington Last of Cavaliers I. xvii. 230 The general scene of their conversations..was Lady Flora's dressing-room, or wardrobe as it was then called. This apartment was divided on the inside from her sleeping-chamber by three or four steps. |
b. A room in which theatrical costumes and properties are kept.
| 1711 Addison Spect. No. 44 ¶5 It is indeed very odd..to observe in the Wardrobe of the Play-house several Daggers, Poniards, Wheels, Bowls for Poison. 1867 Chamb. Encycl. IX. 390/1 There are also numerous apartments required in connection with the stage..—such as..the wardrobe, in which the costumes are kept; furniture stores, scene stores. |
c. A movable closed cupboard, fitted with hooks or pegs, or with shelves or movable trays and drawers, in which wearing apparel is kept;
esp. as a piece of bedroom furniture.
| 1794 A. Hepplewhite Cabinet-Maker (ed. 3) title-p., Displaying a great variety of patterns for Chairs,..Basin Stands, Wardrobes, [etc.]. 1833 Loudon Encycl. Archit. §626 Wardrobes are as essential in a bed-room, as a dresser is in a cottager's kitchen. 1842 Dickens Amer. Notes iii, Our bedroom..had one unusual luxury, however, in the shape of a wardrobe of painted wood. 1864 M. E. Braddon Doctor's Wife I. x. 256 A lumbering old wardrobe—or press, as it was called—of painted wood. 1883 D. C. Murray Hearts xi. (1885) 82 A great old-fashioned wardrobe of black oak. |
d. transf. and
fig.| 1605 1st Pt. Jeronimo iii. ii. 17 Now death..crams his store house to the top with bloud; Might I now and Andrea in one fight Make vp thy wardroope richer by a Knight. 1624 Donne Devot. vi. (ed. 2) 136 Whether it bee thy pleasure, to dispose of this body, this garment so, as to put it to a farther wearing in this world, or to lay it vp in the common wardrope, the graue, for the next. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 543 In this Countrie that false Prophet [Mahomet] first opened his superstitious Wardrobe. 1656 Cowley Pindar. Odes, To Mr. Hobs v, I little thought..That all the Wardrobe of rich Eloquence, Could have afforded half enuff, Of bright, of new, and lasting stuff, To cloath the mighty Limbs of thy Gigantique Sence. 1754 Connoisseur No. 36 ¶7 France appears to be the wardrobe of the world. 1821 Lamb Elia i. Imperf. Sympathies, Their intellectual wardrobe (to confess fairly) has few whole pieces in it. 1866 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xxxi. (1878) 539 The dead bodies were laid aside in the ancient wardrobe of the tomb. |
2. The office or department of a royal or noble household charged with the care of the wearing apparel. Also, the building in which the officers of this department conduct their business.
removing wardrobe, that which moves with the Court, as distinguished from
standing wardrobe, one that is permanently attached to a royal residence.
| 1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 439/1 The which Warantes yf I shuld paye hem, youre Household, Chambre, and Warderope, and youre Werkes, shuld be unservid and unpaide. 1450 Ibid. V. 193/2 Oure servaunt Richard Wadnyng, Grome of oure Warderobe of Bedds. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lii. 10 Ȝour Hienes can nocht gett ane meter, To keip your wardope, nor discreter, To rule ȝour robbis, and dress the sam. 1524 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 496/2 Ane Lettre to James Dog..makand him ȝeman of the Kingis wardrop. 1553 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 55 These parselles of ornamenttes..were Receued of Arthur Stovrton at ye Qvenes wardroppe at westminster. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. ii. v. 45 The Lady of the Strachy, married the yeoman of the wardrob. 1642 Docq. Lett. Pat. at Oxf. (1837) 334 Clement Kinnersley yeoman of his Majesties removinge wardrobe of Beddes. 1642 Standinge Wardrobe [see standing ppl. a. 11]. 1668 Prynne Aurum Reg. 127 The Queen [has] the Tayle, to make Whale-bones for her Royal Vestments, Dresses, and other uses in her Wardrobe. 1755 H. Walpole Let. to Mann 29 Sept., Sir Thomas Robinson is to return to the Great Wardrobe, with an additional pension on Ireland of 2000 l. a year. 1886 Encycl. Brit. XXI. 37/1 The bedchamber, privy chamber, and presence chamber, the wardrobe, the housekeeper's room,..are in the lord chamberlain's department. 1909 Whitaker's Almanack 102 His Majesty's Household... Superintendent of the Wardrobe. |
3. a. A person's stock of wearing apparel.
| a 1400–50 Bk. Curtasye 565 in Babees Bk., The chaunceler answeres for hor clothyng, For ȝomen, faukeners, and hor horsyng, For his wardrop and wages also. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. ii. i, If he be furnish'd with supplies for the retyring of his old ward-robe from pawne. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iv. 222. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vii. 332 It often hapneth; that a foule and deformed carkasse hath a faire and rich wardrope. 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 111 This onely troubles me, how his majesty would look in all..the Pontifical Wardrobe. a 1727 Newton Chronol. Amended v. (1728) 339 Officers who took care of the Perfume, the Veil, and the Wardrobe of the Priests. 1760–2 Goldsm. Cit. W. lxii, With her scanty wardrobe packed up in a wallet, she set out on her journey on foot. 1834 Mrs. Carlyle Let. to Mrs. Carlyle, Sen. 21 Nov., Lett. & Mem. 1883 I. 10 The weather is grown horribly cold, and I am chiefly intent, at present, on getting my winter wardrobe into order. 1870 M. Bridgman R. Lynne II. iii. 55 He insisted on his wife re-marking the whole of the infantile wardrobe. |
b. transf. and
fig.| 1592 Breton Pilgr. Parad. (Grosart) 8/1 Came Flora forth..Laying abroad the wardrope of her wealth, Her fairest flowers. 1613 Jackson Creed i. 78 Vsually the Græcian Poets haue borrowed their best Stage-attire from the glorious wardrope of Israel. 1633 Marmion Fine Companion iii. iii, A soule..Wherein is lockt the wardrope of all vertues. 1637 Milton Lycidas 47 As killing as..Frost to Flowers, that their gay wardrop wear, When first the White thorn blows. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Literature Wks. (Bohn) II. 109 New and gigantic thoughts which cannot dress themselves out of any old wardrobe of the past. |
† 4. A private chamber;
esp. a sleeping apartment.
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 1686 [In the Ark] A hous als in to drink and ete And wardropp þat þou noght for-get. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour vi. 8 As sone as she had herde a litell masse..she come into the warderobe to ete browesse or sum other mete. c 1450 Merlin xxvii. 507 Gyomar..a-bode spekynge with Morgain..in a wardrope vnder the paleys, where she wrought with silke and golde. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 227 b, Kyng Lewes..withdrew himself into hys warderobe, and sending for the English Herault sayd to hym [etc.]. 1570 Buchanan Admonit. Wks. (S.T.S.) 32 This is nowther dreamit in ane wardrob nor hard throw ane boir bot ane trew narrative. 1670 Cotton Espernon ii. vi. 254 The King without any motion was carried up in a Cloak, and laid upon the Bed in his Wardrobe. |
† 5. A privy.
Obs. [So F.
garderobe.]
| 1382 Wyclif 2 Kings x. 27 Thei distroyeden the hous of Baal, and thei maaden for it wardropis [1388 priuyes, Vulg. latrinas] vnto this day. c 1386 Chaucer Prioress' T. 120, I seye that in a wardrobe they hym threwe Where as thise Iewes purgen hire entraille. c 1450 Nominale (Harl. MS. 1002) lf. 145 Cloaca, a pryvaye or wardrope. 1847 Halliwell, Wardrope, a house of office. |
† 6. The excrement of the badger.
Obs.| c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxiv, Of hares and of conynges he shall say þei croteth, and of þe fox wagynge, of þe grey þe warderobe. 1847 Halliwell, Warderebe [sic], the dung of the badger. |
7. attrib. and
Comb., as
wardrobe account,
wardrobe-keeper,
wardrobe-maid,
wardrobe-man,
wardrobe-woman; also
wardrobe bedstead, a bedstead adapted to fold up into a wardrobe;
wardrobe book, a book in which the accounts of a wardrobe were kept;
wardrobe dealer, a dealer in second-hand clothes;
wardrobe master,
mistress, one who has charge of the professional wardrobe of an actor or actress, or of a theatrical company;
wardrobe-room, the room, at a theatre, in which the stage-costumes are stored;
† wardrobe-stuff, household necessaries and supplies;
wardrobe trunk, a travelling trunk which can be used as a wardrobe.
| 1770 Archæologia I. 361 Observation on the *Wardrobe Account for the Year 1483. 1830 N. H. Nicolas (title), Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York: Wardrobe Accounts of Edward the Fourth. |
| 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life xx. xxviii. (ed. 3) II. 249 Starting out of your sleep on a *wardrobe bedstead, at the sudden desertion of the temporary posts at the bottom. |
| 1557 Order of the Hospitalls G viij, You shall also kepe the *Wardrobe-booke, wherein shalbe written..the remainder of all things at euery Michaelmass [etc.]. |
| 1896 Daily News 8 Apr. 3/6 *Wardrobe dealer. |
| 1763 Crt. & City Kalendar 81 *Wardrobe-keeper and Keeper of the Royal Apartments at Somerset House. Mrs. Brietzcke, 100l. 1782 D. E. Baker Biogr. Dram. I. 25/2 This gentleman..had been wardrobe-keeper to the Theatre in Black-Friars. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xv, The wardrobe keeper,..shall have orders to supply the suit which you have cast away in our service. |
| 1865 Queen Victoria Jrnl. 9 Oct. (1980) 121 The Duchess took me to my room..next to which was one for my *wardrobe maid, Mary Andrews. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 425 The patient..became wardrobe maid at the Salpêtrière. |
| 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 1021 in Satir. Poems Reform. xlv, The Bischop..Send for his *wardrop man fre hand. 1667 Pepys Diary 2 Sept., He swore..that the king his father would have hanged his Wardrobeman, should he have been served so. 1833 H. Martineau Three Ages ii. 50 His wardrobeman had this morning lamented that the King had no handkerchiefs. |
| 1897 Emily Soldene Theatr. & Mus. Recoll. xxix. 249, I..made over the whole of my wardrobe, both personal and professional, to my *wardrobe master. |
| Ibid. xvi. 137 Mrs. Quinton, my *wardrobe mistress, whose husband was super-master. |
| 1885 Jerome On the Stage iv. 31 A little lower down was the *wardrobe room. There was not much in it though. Dresses are borrowed as they are wanted, now, from the costumiers. |
| 1537 Rutland MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) IV. 286 Item paid to Peter Barret for his dyner, when he helpe to cary my Lorde's *wardrope stuffe to Grynwyche, ijd. |
| 1890 B. Hall Turnover Club 221 In Matt's *wardrobe trunks there are very many suits. 1928 S. Lewis Man who knew Coolidge i. 39 She pointed out I'd have to get my dress-suit in New York and it wouldn't get wrinkled in a wardrobe trunk. 1979 Country Life 16 Aug. 490/3 The murderee..had in his Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk, full white-tie evening dress. |
| 1853 Dickens, etc. Househ. Words Christm. No. 2/2 Jane was a sort of *wardrobe-woman to our fellows [at school], and took care of the boxes. 1892 W. S. Gilbert Foggerty's Fairy 213 She obtained a little employment as dresser and wardrobe-woman at a provincial theatre. 1897 Westm. Gaz. 6 July 6/3 Mrs. M'Donald..had been for forty years in the Queen's service, thirty-one of which as wardrobewoman. |