denim
(dɪˈnɪm, ˈdɛnɪm)
[Shortened from serge de Nim, F. serge de Nîmes or Nismes, serge of Nismes (a manufacturing town of Southern France). See Savary des Bruslons, Dict. gén. de Commerce (Geneva 1742), ‘serges et cadis de Nimes’. Cf. delaine.]
A name originally given to a kind of serge; now (orig. U.S.) to a coloured twilled cotton material used largely for overalls, hangings, etc. In pl. = overalls, trousers made of denim.
| 1695 E. Hatton Merchant's Mag. 159, 18 Serge Denims that cost 6l. each. 1703 Lond. Gaz. No. 3885/4 A pair of Flower'd Serge de Nim Breeches. 1864 Webster, Denim, a coarse cotton drilling used for overalls, etc. 1868 Mobile Daily Tribune 4 Nov. 4/6 Dry Goods..Blue Denims..Brown Denims. 1875 I. L. Bird Sandwich Isl. (1880) 79 She wears..a scanty, loose frock of blue denim down to her knees. 1932 J. Dos Passos 1919 3 He was a smiling ruddy man in blue denims. 1958 J. Lodwick Bid the Soldiers Shoot iii. vii. 222 In the map pocket of my denims. 1959 Manchester Guardian 24 June 7/1 Figures in Bermuda shorts or rolled-up denims. |