dishabille
(dɪsəˈbiːl, -ˈbɪl)
Forms: α. 7 dishabillie, -billié, 7–8 dishabillee, 8 dishabilie, -habilly, -abilly, deshabilé, 7–9 déshabillé. β. 7–9 deshabille, déshabille, 8 deshabil. γ. 7– dishabille, 8 dishabile, (9 dial. disabil).
[ad. F. déshabillé (in 1642 desabillé, Hatz.-Darm.) undress, subst. use of pa. pple. of déshabiller to undress, f. des-, dis- 4 + habiller to dress, etc. The final -é of the French word (or its equivalent) has been occasional in English since the 17th c., but it was soon changed to e mute, and the prefix generally (like OF. des-) altered to dis-.]
1. The state of being partly undressed, or dressed in a negligent or careless style; undress. Usually in phr. in dishabille (= Fr. en déshabillé).
| α 1705 Farquhar Twin-Rivals v. iv, I found you a little in the déshabillé. 1709 Mrs. Manley New Atal. (ed. 2) I. 38 (Stanf.) Favour'd by his Disabilly all tempting. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 49 ¶3 The Pleasures of their Deshabilé. 1711 Brit. Apollo III. No. 144. 3/1 The Ladies..Appear'd in such a Dishabilie there. 1796 G. M. Woodward Eccentric Excurs. (1807) 26 His lady made a thousand apologies for being catched in such a dishabilly. 1885 Athenæum 7 Nov. 601/1 The shortcomings of English costume pale before the déshabillé of the Dutch colonial ladies. |
| β 1708 S. Centlivre Busie Body i. i, What would she give now to be in this deshabille in the open air? 1713 Swift Cadenus & Vanessa 367 (1726) 96 A party next of glitt'ring Dames..Came early, out of pure Good-will, To see the Girl in Deshabille. 1773 Sheridan in Sheridaniana 70 In studious deshabille behold her sit. 1861 T. A. Trollope La Beata I. vi. 125 The easy, confidential intercourse of her déshabille in the boudoir. |
| γ 1684 tr. Plutarch's Mor. Pref. (L.), To surprise his mistress in dishabille. 1763–5 Churchill Journey Poems II. 5 Nor would I have the Sisters of the hill Behold their Bard in such a Dishabille. 1799 Southey Nondescripts iv, Were it fair To judge a lady in her dishabille? 1874 Burnand My time ii. 13 Standing..in his shirt-sleeves, for which dishabille he had apologized to us. |
2. concr. A garment worn in undress; a dress or costume of a negligent style.
| 1673 Wycherley Gentl. Dancing-master v. i, Contented..instead of variety of new gowns and rich petticoats, with her dishabillie, or flame-colour gown called Indian. 1690 Crowne Eng. Friar v. Dram. Wks. 1874 IV. 111 They only come in dishabillees to visit me, and did not expect your Lordship. 1713 Gay Guardian No. 149 ¶6 We have a kind of sketch of dress..which, as the invention was foreign, is called a Dishabille; every thing is thrown on with a loose and careless air. 1789 F. Burney Diary 21 Aug., She does not become a déshabille. a 1847 Mrs. Sherwood Lady of Manor V. xxxi. 224 A neat undress, or dishabille, is much admired in England. 1868 Gloss. Sussex Words in Hurst Horsham, I'm sorry, ma'am, you see me in such a dirty disabil. |
3. transf. and
fig.| 1712 Pope Let. 5 Dec. Wks. 1737 V. 188 Thoughts just warm from the brain, without any polishing or dress, the very dishabille of the understanding. 1753 Foote Eng. in Paris. i. Wks. 1799 I. 35 What has been the matter, Squire? Your face seems a little in deshabille. a 1817 T. Dwight Trav. (1821) II. 142 Where nature..is now naked and deformed, she will suddenly exchange the dishabille; and be ornamented..with her richest attire. 1825 Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life II. x. 212 [Pepys] sets down his thoughts in a most becoming dishabille. 1830 Galt Laurie T. iv. viii. (1849) 171 The house was in dishabille. |
† B. as
adj. [
repr. F.
déshabillé pa. pple.] In undress, negligently dressed.
Obs.| 1691 Islington Wells 4 (Stanf.) Three Ladies Drest Dishabillee. 1694 N. H. Ladies Dict. 14/1 (Stanf.) He is Deshabille, that is in a careless Dress. |