▪ I. † ˈrussel1 Obs. rare.
Also 5 russall.
[a. OF. russel, roussel (mod.F. rousseau) reddish, red-haired, also used as n.]
A reddish thing or animal.
| a 1450 Tourn. Tottenham, Feest vii. in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 95 Ther come in iordans in iussall Als red as any russall. c 1480 Henryson Fables, Fox, Wolf, & Cadger ii, Swa happinnit him..To meit ane Foxe... ‘Welcum to me’, quod he, ‘thow Russell gray’. |
▪ II. † ˈrussel2 Obs.
Forms: α. 5–6 Sc. ryssil(l)is, rissillis, ristlis; 6 ryssel, Sc. ryssill. β. 6 russelles, 6–7 russells, -els; 6 ross-, russell, 7 rustell, 7–8 russel.
[Of obscure origin; possibly from Rijssel, the Flemish name of Lille. The early forms, and the fact that black and other colours occur earlier and more frequently than red, are against connexion with prec.]
1. A kind of woollen fabric formerly used for articles of attire, esp. in the 16th century.
| α 1488 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 159 For ij elne and j quartar of grene Ryssillis for a gowne and a coyt. Ibid., For v quartaris of browne Ryssillis for a gowne til him. |
| β 1541 Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 16 Straungers..doe make and weave sayes, russelles, worstedes, and diverse..other clothes. 1545 Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees) 136 For a ȝerde and a quarter of red russell, 2s. 6d. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1290/1 Over the first loome was written, the weaving of worsted; over the second, the weaving of russels. |
2. attrib. a. In names of stuffs, as russel(s) black, russel cloth, russel satin, russel silk, russel worsted.
| α 1493 Halyburton Ledger (1867) 30, 3 stekis of ryssillis clath, an blak, an bron, and an grey. 1494 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 224, ij ellis of Rissillis blak, to be a coit aboune his Jak. 1542 Inv. R. Wardr. (1815) 86 Item, ane coit of rissillis blak. 1550 J. Coke Eng. & Fr. Heralds §212 Sayes, tapisterie, ryssel worstedes, cloth, carpettes. |
| β 1552 in J. C. Jeaffreson Middlesex County Rec. I. (1886) 8 A womans kertyll of Russell worsted. 1554 Act 1 & 2 Phil. & Mary, c. 14 §1 Russels called Russelles Sattens and Satten Reverses. 1606 in Lismore Papers Ser. ii. (1887) I. 110, iij dosson of rustell silkes & silver longe buttens. 1653 Acts of Parlt. (1658) 270 The Wardens and Fellowship of the Mystery of Russel-Sattins, Sattins-Reverses, and Fustian of Norwich making. |
b. Denoting ‘made of russel(s)’.
| 1567 Richmond Wills (Surtees) 149 My sarcenet typpet, my best russelles typpet, and my best cappe. 1703 Lond. Gaz. No. 3915/4 Stolen.., a black Russel Petticoat flower'd. |