‖ poulaine
(puːˈleɪn)
Also 6 pullayne, 8 poleine, -eyn.
[OF. Poulaine Poland, souliers à la Poulaine shoes in Polish fashion, crakows; hence the pointed beak of such shoes.]
The long pointed toe of a shoe, as worn in the 14th and 15th centuries: = pike n.1 4 a. (Erron. explained by some as the shoe itself: = crakow.)
| 1464 Act 4 Edw. IV, c. 7 Nulle persone Cordewaner ou Cobeler..face..ascuns solers galoges ou husens oveqe ascun pike ou poleine qe passera la longuer ou mesure de deux poutz. 1530 Palsgr. 259/1 Pullayne, poullane. 1720 Strype Stow's Surv. (1754) II. v. xii. 299/2 Toes of an extraordinary Length, and sharp, called therefore Pykes, or Poleyns. 1834 J. R. Planché Brit. Costume 202 No one under the estate of a lord was permitted to wear pikes or poleines to his shoes..exceeding two inches in length. |
| erron. 1706 Phillips, Poleine, a sort of shooe pick'd and turn'd up at the Toe. 1877 Boutell in Encycl. Brit. VI. 469/2 The half-boots or shoes distinguished as poulaines continued to be long and very sharply pointed. |