haberdasher
(ˈhæbədæʃə(r))
Forms: 4–6 haberdassher, haburdaissher, -dassher, 4 habirdaschere, -dasshere, 5 habardashar, 6– haberdasher, (7 habber-).
[Has the form of a derivative of haberdash n. (q.v.), or of the AFr. hapertas (quasi *hapertassier, *haberdassier); but the actual nature of the relationship between these words is left doubtful by their relative dates, as well as by the undetermined relation in which haberdash and hapertas stand to each other.]
Formerly, a dealer in a variety of articles now dealt with by other trades, including caps, and probably hats: see quots. In the course of the 16th c. the trade seems to have been split into two, those of: † a. A dealer in, or maker of, hats and caps, a hatter (obs.); b. A dealer in small articles appertaining to dress, as thread, tape, ribbons, etc. Formerly also a drink-seller (as a dealer in ‘tape’ = spirituous liquor).
| 1311–12 Liber Memorandorum 53 in Liber Albus (Rolls) III. 433 Super diversos haberdasshers et capellarios. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 361 An haberdasshere [v.rr. habir-, habur-, -daschere, -daissher] and a Carpenter. 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) 108 William Warboys citezen and haburdasher of London. c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. (Percy Soc.) 9 Salters, Towelers, and habardashars. c 1550 Disc. Common Weal Eng. (1893) 64 Haberdashers that sell french or milan cappes, glasses, Daggers, swerdes, gridles and such things. 1561 Stow Eng. Chron. (Howe 1615) 869/1 The Milloners, or Haberdashers, in that place, sould mousetrappes, bird cages, shooing hornes, Lanthornes, and Jews trumpes. 1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. 38 Bookes, pictures, beades, crucifixes, why there was a haberdashers shop of them in euerie chamber. [1720 Strype Stow's Surv. (1754–5) II. v. x. 278/2 Haberdashers..were also called Milliners, so called from..Milan in Italy, whence the Commodities they dealt in chiefly came; such were Owches, Brooches, Agglets, Spurs, Caps, Glasses, &c.] |
| a. 1566 Act 8 Eliz. c. 11 §3 For the better and truer making of Cappes and Hattes within this Realme..it shalbe lefull to the Maister and Wardens of the Company of Haberdasshers within the Citie of London..to [etc.]. c 1572 Gascoigne Fruites Warre lxiv, The Haberdasher heapeth wealth by hattes. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. III. 699/2 John Fisher a haberdasher of hats and mayor of Northampton. 1711 Budgell Spect. No. 161 ¶3 He..had won so many Hats, that his Parlour looked like a Haberdasher's Shop. 1711 Steele Ibid. No. 187 ¶7 Mr. Sly, Haberdasher of Hats..has prepared very neat Hats, Rubbers, and Brushes. |
| b. 1611 Cotgr., Mercerot, a Pedler, a paltrie Haberdasher. 1617 Minsheu Ductor, An Habberdasher of small wares..In London also called a Millenier, à Lat. mille. i. a thousand, as one hauing a thousand small wares to sell. 1630 Massinger Renegado ii. iii, A great lady dote upon A haberdasher of small wares! 1696 Phillips (ed. 5), Haberdasher, one that sells a great many several sorts of Wares, as Riband, Gloves, &c. Also a Seller of Hats. 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4462/4 William Andrews of London, Haberdasher of small Wares. 1745 De Foe's Eng. Tradesman vi. (1841) I. 38 Haberdasher [buys] of the thread merchants. 1755 Johnson, Haberdasher, one who sells small wares; a pedlar. 1845 J. Saunders Cab. Pict., Chaucer 241 Haberdashers were originally a branch of the mercers; and dealt, like them, in small wares. 1821 P. Egan Life in London ii. viii. 354 The Haberdasher is busily employed in measuring out tape for his customers. 1828 ‘W. T. Moncrieff’ Tom & Jerry iii. v. 76 The haberdasher is the whistler, otherwise the spirit-merchant, Jerry—and tape the commodity he deals in. 1893 Farmer & Henley Slang III. 243/1 Haberdasher, (humorously) a publican. |
c. fig. (
cf. dealer,
retailer,
vendor).
| 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 21 a, A Haberdasher of Wilde-fowle, or a Merchant venturer of daintie meat. 1597 1st Pt. Return fr. Parnass. iv. i. 1235 This haberdasher of lyes. 1664 J. Wilson Project. iv. Dram. Wks. (1874) 264 See! your haberdasher of small projects. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Habberdasher of Nouns and Pronouns, Schoolmaster or Usher. a 1764 Lloyd New River Head Poet. Wks. 1774 II. 65 Haberdashers of small jokes. 1827 Lytton Pelham xvi, This ‘Haber-dasher of pronouns’ was a person of the name of Margot. 1828 Craven Dial. s.v., A schoolmaster, alias a haberdasher of nouns and pronouns. |
d. attrib.| 1813 Examiner 10 May 296/1 They are altogether haberdasher Statesmen. |
Hence
haberdasheress, a female haberdasher.
| 1702 T. Brown Lett. Dead to Living Wks. 1760 II. 272, I found..Thalestris the Amazonian, who, as I hinted to you in my last, is become a haberdasheress of small wares. |