spatterdash
(ˈspætədæʃ)
[f. spatter v. + dash v. Cf. spatter-lash, -plash, and the dial. splatter-, spattle-dash(er).]
A kind of long gaiter or legging of leather, cloth, etc., to keep the trousers or stockings from being spattered, esp. in riding. Chiefly in pl.
| sing. 1687 E. Ravenscroft Long Vac., Prol. to Titus Andronicus, Prepare to gallop down on Smithfield Titts, Equip'd with the Heel-Spur and Spatter-dash. 1756 W. Toldervy Hist. 2 Orphans III. 122 He generally left his stall,..which one day caused him the loss of two pair of breeches, and a spatterdash. 1778 Sheridan Camp i. ii, There's a leg for a spatterdash. 1841 Borrow Zincali i. v, The legs are protected..by a species of spatterdash, either of cloth or leather. |
| pl. 1687 [see spatter-lash]. 1694 Motteux Rabelais iv. xii, The porter soon found him out, by his large greasy spatterdashes, his..hollow flanked mare [etc.]. Ibid. xxxii, Cows Leather Spatter-dashes. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 151, I had..made me a Pair of some-things..to flap over my Legs, and lace on either Side like Spatter-dashes. 1746 in Rep. Comm. Ho. Commons II. 99 (Land Forces), Haversacks,..Frocks to go over the Mens Cloaths, Spatter⁓dashes, and Watering Caps. 1777 W. Dalrymple Trav. Sp. & Port. xliii, His waistcoat and breeches are generally leather, with a pair of cloth spatterdashes on his legs. 1807–8 W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 358 Dressed in a man's hat, a cloth overcoat, and spatterdashes. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. iv. viii. (1872) II. 20 This done, he shall as rapidly as possible get on his shoes and spatterdashes. |
b. Comb., as
spatterdash-maker,
spatterdash-making.
| 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1902) 30 His talents of drum-beating and spatterdash-making. 1905 Westm. Gaz. 1 Apr. 3/1 La Fleur,..ex-drummer and spatterdash-maker. |