▪ I. glove, n.
(glʌv)
Forms: 1 glóf, 4–5 glofe, (4 Sc. gluwe), 5 glowe, gluff, 5–7 gloove, 5–7 Sc. gluif, glufe, 6 Sc. gluve, 3– glove.
[OE. glóf str. fem. (also wk. pl. glófan) = ON. glófe wk. masc.
By some scholars considered to represent an OTeut. *galôfâ, -on-, f. ga- prefix (see y-) + lôf- root of Goth. lôfa, ON. lófe, hand (see loof Sc.).]
1. a. A covering for the whole of the hand, usually one with a separate sheath for each finger. hawks' glove = hawking glove (see hawking vbl. n.). glove of mail, a gauntlet.
| Beowulf (Z.) 2085 Glof hangode..Sio wæs orðoncum eall ᵹeᵹyrwed deofles cræftum ond dracan fellum. a 1000 Prose Life Guthlac xi. (1848) 54 Wilfrið..cwæð þæt he forlete his twa glofan on þam scipe. c 1205 Lay. 28581 Mon mihte i þare lasten twa glouen iþraste. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 169 The Rede Reiffar..Held out a gluff, in takyn off the trew. 1530 Palsgr. 225/2 Glove of mayle, mitaigne de fer. 1594 Barnfield Affect. Sheph. ii. xvii, New Gloues to put vpon thy milk-white hand Ile giue thee. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. v. 262 Never saw I glove that would serve both hands. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 109 ¶5 He would sign a Deed that passed away half his Estate with his Gloves on. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. i, Another Sunday, for want of a pair of gloves you stayed at home. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. i. ii. §9 At Hampton Court, in the jewel house, were seven hawkes' gloves embroidered. 1813 Scott Trierm. i. xii, From beneath his glove of mail, Scann'd at his ease the lovely vale. 1849 Rock Ch. of Fathers II. 162 note, This form of the episcopal glove, with its tassel, or tuft of silk, is well seen on Archbishop Chicheley's effigy, in Canterbury Cathedral. |
b. a pair of gloves given as a present or claimed as a forfeit (see
quots. 1714 and 1828);
† mentioned as a pretext for making a present in money (
cf. glove-money).
white gloves (see
quot. 1851).
| 1563–7 Buchanan Reform. St. Andros Wks. (1892) 14 Sa mony of the assistandis to thys act as be graduat in divinite..sal haif for their presens and decoryng of the act, ane pair of gluvis. 1631 Shirley Love's Cruelty v. ii, Mi. [a servant] Pray excuse me sir! Hi. Twill purchase but a pair of Gloves. 1714 Gay Sheph. Week Sat. 38 Cic'ly, brisk maid, steps forth before the rout, And kiss'd with smacking lip the snoring lout. For custom says, Whoe'er this venture proves, For such a kiss demands a pair of gloves. 1741 Richardson Pamela II. 346 You'll accept of that for a Pair of Gloves, on this happy Occasion; and I gave him ten Guineas. 1755 Mem. Capt. P. Drake II. iii. 148 He squeezed a Louis d'Or into my Hand for a Pair of Gloves. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth v, Thou knowest the maiden who ventures to kiss a sleeping man, wins of him a pair of gloves. 1851 Offic. Catal. Gt. Exhib. 576 White gloves are..presented to the Judges on occasion of a maiden-assize. |
† c. A symbol of investiture; in
to grant and assign by a glove.
Sc. Obs.| 1493 Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 51 Alexander Iruyne..gaff, grantit and assignit be ane gluff to David Irwyne, his sone, all and hale his gudis beand within the landis of Coule. [1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v., The custom..of blessing gloves, in the coronation of the kings of France, is a remain of the eastern practice of giving possession with the glove.] |
d. as token of a pledge or of a challenge to battle. Also
to † cast,
take up,
throw (down) the glove.
lit. and
fig.| 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 4137 Here glouen þai gonne vp holde In þat forward. a 1440 Sir Degrev. 183 Be he squiere othere knyght Here my glove one to ffyght. 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 102 And therto I caste to the my gloue and take thou it vp I shal haue right of the or deye therfore. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 691 Syne kest his gluif to preif that all wes trew. 1579 Gosson Apol. Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 64 But if they take vp my gloue, and enter the Lyste..I will..teach them to know the weyght of my clubbe. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, iv. i. 226 Heere's my Gloue: Giue mee another of thine. 1606 ― Tr. & Cr. iv. iv. 65. 1607 ― Timon v. iv. 49. 1896 Froude Counc. Trent ii. 44 Luther..was throwing down the glove to the whole system of ecclesiastical domination. |
† e. ? set up on a post to indicate the goal of a race.
Obs. (
Cf. glaive 1 b.)
| c 1380 [see glaive 1 b]. 1555 Latimer Let. in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. ii. 101 He that runnythe at the Merk, doth not loke on other that stands by,..but lokyth altogether on the Glove or Merk. 1632 W. Lithgow Trav. iv. 156 The custome of the great Turke is, euery Friday..to run at the Gloue in a open place before all the people, with some Hagars, or yong striplings that accompany him, who haue the Gloue hanging as high on a sticke, as we haue the ring with vs. |
f. Phrases:
to fit like a glove: to fit or suit perfectly.
to handle without gloves: to treat severely or without mercy; so
to handle with gloves off, etc.
† not to set at a glove: to contemn utterly.
to go for the gloves (
Racing): to bet recklessly.
to take the gloves off: to ‘set to’ in earnest; to use no mercy (
cf. sense 2). Also
hand and glove.
| c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. ix. (1869) 180, I hatte jolyfnesse þe lyghte..þat sette nouht alle daungeres at a glooue. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 10 June Let. i, The boots..fitted me like a glove. 1827 A. Sherwood Gaz. Georgia 94 Marion County has been handled without gloves. 1828 Richmond Enquirer 20 May 3/4 (Th.), The Baltimore Republican handles Mr. C[lay] with gloves off. 1838 J. C. Neal Charcoal Sks. 217 I'll give you a touch of natur' without no gloves on. 1861 G. J. Whyte-Melville Mkt. Harb. 74 It won't be my fault to-morrow if I don't ‘go for the gloves’, as we used to say in the Old Country. 1876 E. FitzGerald Lett. (1889) I. 389 Boccaccio must be read in his Italian, as Cervantes in his Spanish: the Language fitting either ‘like a Glove’ as we say. 1886 Earl Suffolk etc. Racing (Badm.) 77 The whole legion of stable-followers is ‘going for the gloves’. Ibid. 255 Hardly worth mentioning are the backers who come in for a hit-or-miss dash at the ring—‘to go for the gloves’, as it is called in Turf parlance. 1892 Nation (N.Y.) 5 May 345/2 The prophets and practitioners of the naturalistic school..are here handled without gloves. 1922 S.P.E. Tract xi. 15 Dead metaphors lately noticed:.. The flower of our manhood. Taking off the gloves. 1928 Daily Express 21 Mar. 1/1 It is time, Mr. Mayor, that we took the gloves off and showed the County of London Electric Supply Company that we will fight. 1931 Times Lit. Suppl. 10 Sept. 669/4 Like Lewis Carroll, who was too polite to ‘take the gloves off’ in his assault on ‘Hiawatha’. 1934 J. E. Neale Queen Eliz. xii. 199 At still greater length, in caustic tones, and with many shrewd hits, Mary answered. The gloves were off. |
2. = boxing-glove [see
boxing vbl. n.].
glove of death = cestus2.
| 1725 Pope Odyss. viii. 140 Laodame whirls high, with dreadful sway, The gloves of death. 1847 Alb. Smith Chr. Tadpole xl. (1879) 345, I..put on the gloves with the Brummagem Clinker, and knocked him about. 1890 Besant Demoniac vi. 65 They are capital fellows: they..put on the gloves with good temper. |
† 3. slang. Some kind of drinking vessel.
Obs.| 1609 Dekker Gulls Horn-bk. Proem. 4 The Englishmans healthes, his hoopes, cans, half-cans, Gloues, Frolicks, and flap-dragons. |
4. In
Hat-making, a smooth piece of wood, fastened to the hand by a string, employed in rubbing the sheets of felt at the ‘battery’.
| 1875 in Knight Dict. Mech. |
5. attrib. and
Comb. a. simple
attrib., as
glove-case,
glove-factory,
glove-kid,
glove-leather,
glove-shop,
glove-trade;
b. objective, as
glove-cleaner,
glove-maker,
glove-making,
glove-manufacturer,
glove-sewer,
glove-washer;
c. instrumental (sense 1), as
glove-guarded adj.; (sense 2), as
glove-fight,
glove-fighter,
glove-fighting;
d. similative, as
glove-shaped adj.; also
glove-like adj.| 1874 ‘S. Coolidge’ What Katy did at School xi. 206 *Glove-cases, of quilted silk, delicately scented. 1926–7 Army & Navy Stores Catal. 814/1 Glove case. Pigskin. |
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Glove-cleaner. |
| 1895 Westm. Gaz. 20 Dec. 8/1 At Worcester alone nearly five miles are covered by *glove factories. |
| 1890 Guardian 24 Sept. 1478/1 A *glove-fight between F. Slavin and J. M'Auliffe. |
| 1889 Standard 28 Oct., We must insist on a stop being put to the revival of the evils of the Prize Ring under the flimsy pretext of *glove-fighting. |
| 1796 Coleridge To Friend writing no more Poetry 35 These [henbane and nightshade] with stopped nostril and *glove-guarded hand Knit in nice intertexture. |
| 1895 Daily News 21 Mar. 5/1 Messrs. P―..export very largely, sending thousands of pairs of *glove-kid boots to Australia. |
| 1721 Halley in Phil. Trans. XXXI. 178 These Wires we coated with thin *Glove-leather. c 1790 J. Imison Sch. Art II. 29 A piece of paper or glove-leather, rolled hard and cut almost to a point, like a pencil, is useful..to blend the shades. |
| 1568 Hist. Jacob & Esau iv. viii, I haue brought sleues of kid next to thy skin to weare. They be made *glouelike, and for eche finger a stall. |
| 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 146 It is statute, that na Skinner nor *Gluifmaker..sall make wooll of skinnes, from the feast of Whitsonday, vntill Michaelmes. 1830 Gen. P. Thompson Exerc., Free Trade (1842) I. 192 But if the glove-maker procures a law that gloves shall not be bought from France, it is plain that Sheffield goods must stop. |
| 1744 Hallett in Phil. Trans. XLIII. 155 He would..work at his Trade of *Glove-making. |
| 1884 Pall Mall G. 16 May 4/2 The *glove-sewers of the district assemble at a fixed place..and receive their work. |
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 599 *Glove-sewing. |
| 1885 Syd. Soc. Lex., *Glove-shaped, having the appearance of the finger of a glove, as the corolla of the fox-glove, Digitalis purpurea. |
| 1813 Jane Austen Let. 20 May (1932) II. 78, I went into it rather because it was near than because it looked at all like a *glove shop. 1859 G. A. Sala Tw. round Clock 157 Jewellers, French glove shops, perfumery, and point lace shops. |
| 1891 Pall Mall G. 14 Dec. 3/1 Miss Ada Heather-Bigg..goes thoroughly and with much research into the English *glove-trade past and present. |
| 1723 Lond. Gaz. No. 6195/10 Elizabeth Brown..*Glove-washer. |
6. Special comb.:
glove-band, ‘a strap or ribbon formerly used to confine the glove round the wrist or arm’ (
Cent. Dict.);
glove box, (
a) a box for holding gloves; (
b)
= glove compartment; (
c) a closed chamber into which a pair of gloves project from openings in the side, enabling radioactive or other material to be handled while isolated from the operator;
glove-buttoner, a small button-hook used for buttoning gloves;
glove-calf (see
quot.);
glove-clasp, (
a)
= glove-band, (
b)
= glove-buttoner;
glove compartment, a recess in the dashboard of a motor car for small articles such as gloves, etc.;
† glove-dog (sense obscure);
glove-finger (see
finger n. 6);
glove-fit, something that fits like a glove;
glove-fitting a., that ‘fits like a glove’ (
cf. sense 1 f);
glove-hand, an operative employed in making gloves;
glove-hook = glove-buttoner;
glove-money, (
a) a gratuity given to servants ostensibly to buy them gloves; (
b)
Law, extraordinary rewards formerly given to officers of English courts, etc.;
esp. money given by the sheriff of a county, in which no offenders were left for execution, to the clerk of assize and the judges' officers;
glove puppet, a puppet consisting of a dress, a head and hands, made to fit on the hand like a glove;
glove-sheep (see
quot. for
glove-calf);
glove-silver = glove-money;
glove-sponge, a kind of sponge in the shape of a glove;
glove stitch (see
quot. 1964);
glove-stretcher, an instrument in the shape of a pair of scissors for stretching the fingers of gloves.
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Glove-band, a protection for the glove round the wrist. |
| 1852 Harper's Mag. July 185/2 We..beheld our *glove-box enriched with half-a-dozen pair of snowy French sevens! 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Glove-box, a long paper-box for holding gloves. 1897 Sears, Roebuck Catal. 351/1 Silk Plush Glove Box, lined with fine puffed satin, silvered catch and hinges. 1946 ‘P. Quentin’ Puzzle for Fiends xxv. 239, I sat for a minute in the front seat,..I looked in the glove box. 1950 Glasstone Sourcebk. Atomic Energy xviii. 521/2 Glove boxes are also often used for experimental work with emitters of soft, i.e., low energy and short range, beta particles. 1959 New Scientist 23 Apr. 919/1 The glove box..is in essence a sealed plastic-windowed container kept at a pressure slightly below atmospheric. Manipulations are carried out through plastic gloves. 1971 Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 4 June 39/1 This little hole..which they actually call a glove-box. |
| 1885 C. T. Davis Manuf. Leather xxxii. 525 *Glove-calf and glove-sheep are also sub-names for Morocco leather, and are used principally for toppings. |
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Glove-clasp, a kind of hook-and-eye, or stud, for fastening gloves at the wrist; a contrivance for buttoning gloves. |
| 1939 R. Chandler Big Sleep xvii. 138, I went to the car and got a pair of handcuffs out of the *glove compartment. 1959 I. Fleming Goldfinger xii. 173 He took a small pair of binoculars out of the glove compartment. |
| 1659 Lond. Chanticleers vi. 15 I'l kick you into *glove-dogs, you mungrells, hell-hounds, whelps. |
| 1864 H. Spencer Biol. I. 227 A cavity..like that which results in a *glove-finger when the finger is partially withdrawn and the glove sticks to its end. |
| 1910 C. E. Montague Hind let Loose viii. 145 The putting of *glove-fits on Brumby and Pinn was too near the craftsman's heart to be quite given up. 1967 Listener 8 June 760/1 The rather odd and amateur scansion of the lyrics is a glove-fit to the melody. |
| 1868 Englishwoman's Dom. Mag. Jan. 17 (heading) Thomson's *Glove-fitting Corset. Ibid. 18/1 The name Glove-Fitting is certainly well chosen. 1920 D. H. Lawrence Lost Girl i. 17 The slim, glove-fitting Princess Robe. |
| 1872 T. Cooper Life 165 He was what is called a ‘*glove-hand’ and therefore earned better wages than a stockinger. 1729 Jacob Law Dict. s.v. Glove-silver, *Glove-Money has been also applied to extraordinary Rewards given to Officers of Courts, &c. 1881 T. F. Thiselton-Dyer Dom. Folk Lore vii. 93 The gift of a pair of gloves was at one time the ordinary perquisite of those who performed some small service; and in process of time, to make the reward of greater value, the glove was ‘lined’ with money; hence the term ‘glove-money’. |
| 1937 W. S. Lanchester Hand Puppets & String Puppets 10 *Glove Puppets. This is the simplest form of puppetry. Ibid. 15 Some glove puppet workers use spring clothes pegs for hands. 1969 E. H. Pinto Treen 213 Hand or glove puppets are the simplest type and, for the travelling showman, have the great advantage of taking up little space. |
| 1701 Cowel's Interpr., *Glove-silver, Money given to some Servants by custom to buy them Gloves as a reward and encouragement of their Labours. |
| 1885 A. Brassey The Trades 311 There were..bright scarlet *glove-sponges branching up like huge hands. 1886 H. A. Blake in Fortn. Rev. Feb. 179 The sponges are sorted..into glove, reef, lamb's-wool, grass, &c. |
| 1964 McCall's Sewing ii. 29/1 *Glove stitch, decorative top-stitching made by taking the same size stitch on both sides of the work. |
| 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Glove-stretchers. |
▪ II. glove, v. (
glʌv)
[f. prec. n.] trans. To cover with, or as with a glove; to provide with gloves. Of a thing: To serve as a glove for.
| 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, i. i. 147 A scalie gauntlet now, with ioynts of steele Must gloue this hand. 1606 Holland Sueton. 156 They were wont likewise to glove his hands..with his shoes, that as he suddenly awaked hee might rub his face and eyes therewith. 1628 Earle Microcosm., Vpstart Countrey Knt. (Arb.) 38 Hee..is exceeding ambitious to..haue his fist Glou'd with his Iesses. 1853 G. Johnston Nat. Hist. E. Bord. I. 158 Our little girls glove their fingers with them. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid v. 379 Who dares challenge him now? Who gloves in defiance his hands? 1890 A. Thomas (Mrs. Pender Cudlip) Love of a Lady II. v. 39 Miss Daubeny ‘boots’ and ‘gloves’ herself fairly well. |
Hence
gloved ppl. a.| 1573 J. Sandford Hours of Recr. (1576) 212 A gloved catte can catche no myse. 1623 Massinger Bondman ii. ii, Lady, I would descend to kisse your hand, But that 'tis glou'd, and Ciuit makes me sicke. a 1658 Cleveland Fuscara 22 The next he preys on is her Palms..Tender as 'twere a Jelly glov'd. 1822 Blackw. Mag. XII. 70 Shawl'd, fur-tippeted and gloved. 1864 H. Spencer Biol. I. 227 If a gloved-finger be taken to represent a growing shoot. |
▸
trans. Sport. To catch, deflect, or touch (a ball, etc.) with a gloved hand.
| 1952 Redlands (Calif.) Daily Facts (Electronic text) 28 May Two bunts went for hits... Then Grace gloved the third but threw wild to second base. 1955 A. Ross Austral. 55 xii. 158 Miller made one..stand up, and Compton..succeeded only in gloving it gently to Harvey. 1996 Ice Hockey News Rev. 28 Sept. 21/1 (caption) Their outstanding young goalie..sets himself up to glove the shot that Basingstoke's Chris Chard is about to let go. 2006 Leicester Mercury (Nexis) 29 Aug. 36 He gloved his first delivery down the leg side with [the] wicket-keeper..taking an outstanding catch. |