towelling, toweling
(ˈtaʊəlɪŋ)
[f. towel n. and v. + -ing1.]
I. 1. Linen cloth to be made into towels; material for or of towels.
| 1583 Rates of Custome ho. B vj b, Diaper toweling the peece xxx. s. 1640 in Entick London (1766) II. 167 Damask for towelling and napkenning. 1862 Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit. II. No. 3742 Sheetings, towellings, huckabacks. 1880 ‘Ouida’ Moths II. 19 A dozen yards of bath towelling. |
b. A piece of this material, a towel. nonce-use.
| 1845 Browning Flight of Duchess xi. 15 To wash the hands of her liege In a clean ewer with a fair toweling. |
II. 2. Rubbing with, or application of, a towel.
| 1859 Dickens T. Two Cities ii. xi, A correspondingly extra quantity of wine had preceded the [wet] towelling. 1865 ― Mut. Fr. i. vi, His head was soon in a basin of water, and out of it again, and staring at her through a storm of towelling. 1911 Quiller Couch Shining Ferry iv, Her cheeks glowed after a vigorous towelling. |
3. slang. A beating, drubbing, thrashing.
| 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 421/1, I got a towelling, but it did not do me much good. 1906 Blackw. Mag. Apr. 446/2 The towelling administered to a dog..was not pleasant to behold. |