▪ I. † tapet, n. Obs. (exc. Hist.).
Forms: 1 tęped, tæpped, tæppet; 3–4 (9) tapit, 4–5 tapyt, 4–6 tapite, -yte, -ete (also 9), 5 tapytt, -e, (tepit), 5–6 tapett, -e, tappet, 6 -ett, -e, Sc. tapeit, taphet, 4– tapet.
[The OE. tęped was WGer. ad. late L. tapētum: cf. OHG. tęppid, tęppith (more usually tęppih, Ger. teppich). The later OE. tæpped, -et (cf. also MLG. teppet) may have been re-influenced by Latin. ME. tapet, tapit, etc. perh. came down from OE.; but the word may have been introduced anew in 13th c. from L., or from Prov. tapit or other Romanic form: cf. MDu. tapijt, and see tapis.]
A piece of figured cloth used as a hanging, table-cover, carpet, or the like.
| a 900 Kentish Glosses in Wr.-Wülcker 61/1 Tapetibus pictis, ᵹemetum tepedum. c 1000 ælfric Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 152/1 Sipla, an healfhruh tæppet. c 1050 in Thorpe Charters (1865) 429, vii ofbrædelsas and ii tæppedu. |
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11240 Was þar na pride o couerled [v.r. couerlite] Chamber curtin ne tapit [v.rr. -ite, -yte]. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 858 Tapytez tyȝt to þe woȝe, of tuly & tars, & vnder fete, on þe flet, of folȝande sute. 1382 Wyclif 2 Sam. xvii. 28 Couerynge clothis, and tapetis [1388 tapitis]. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. lxii. (Bodl. MS.), The flesche þat lieþ in þe vtter parties of bones..is as it were a nedeful tapet and esement. 1425 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 298/1 Þere was on a nyght [a man] taken by hynd a tapet in ye said Chambre. c 1477 Caxton Jason 97 b, Medea..brought him into the chambre where they satte vpon a moche riche tapyte. 1513 Douglas æneis i. xi. 8 Amang prowde tapeitis and miche riche apparale Hir place sche tuik. a 1562 G. Cavendish Wolsey (1893) 227 Leanyng ayenst the tappett or hangyng of the chamber. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. v. 35, 4. tapites floured, of pinsed satten. 1591 Spenser Muiopotmos 276 Each doth chuse What storie she will for her tapet take. [1859 Parker Turner's Dom. Archit. III. iv. 104 The bed..consisted of a selour, a testor, a counterpoint, six tapits of arras [etc.]. 1875 J. H. Pollen Anc. & Mod. Furn. 31 Carpets, tapete, blankets, or other woollen coverlids for sofas or beds, were made at Corinth.] |
b. In figurative and allusive uses: cf. carpet n. 2 b and 3.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 246 Summe ladies ben menys to haue a daunsere, a trippere on tapitis, or huntere or haukere. c 1430 Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. 51 The soyle was..oversprad with tapites that Nature Had made her selfe. c 1470 Harding Chron. cxv. vii. (MS. Ashm. 34) lf. 90 God sette neuer Kynge to be a Ryotoure To trippe on tapites and leue in Idilnesse. 1563 Mirr. Mag. Induct. i, The gladsom groves that nowe laye overthrowen The tapets torn, and every blome down blowen. |
c. attrib. † tapet-hook, a hook for hanging ‘tapets’ or tapestry-hangings to the wall.
| 1480 Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV (1830) 121 Crochetts and tapethooks for the hangyng of the same verdours. |
▪ II. † ˈtapet, v. Obs.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To hang with ‘tapets’ or tapestry; to adorn with tapestry. Also fig.
| c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 260 Hys hallys I wol do peynte with pure golde And tapite hem ful many folde. c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 2766 The launde rounde aboute..Tapited al the large pleyn Of herbys and of fressh[e] flours. 1412–20 ― Chron. Troy i. 1659 [Medea] koude..in wynter with flowris fresche of hewe, Araye þe erþe and tapite hym in grene. |
▪ III. tapet, -ette
see tappet.