tabard
(ˈtæbəd, -ɑːd)
Forms: 4– tabard; also 4 (9) tabart, 4–5 tabbard, 4–6 tabarde, 4–8 tabert, 5 taberde, 5–7 taberd, 6 tabarte, Sc. tawbart, talbart, -ert.
[a. OF. tabart (12th c. in Godef.), tabar (13–14th c.) = Sp. tabardo, It. tabarro: ulterior derivation unknown: see Diez.]
† 1. A garment of coarse material; ‘a loose upper garment without sleeves’ (Jam.); formerly worn out of doors by the lower classes, also by monks and foot-soldiers. Obs.
| c 1300 in Langtoft's Chron. in Pol. Songs (Camden) 303 He haves overhipped, His typeth is typped, hise tabard es tome. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 41 His tabarde to-torne and his totez oute. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 111 A toren Tabart of twelue Wynter Age. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 541 A Plowman..In a tabard he rood vpon a Mere. 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 81 Noman come be-forn y⊇ alderman..in tabard ne in cloke. 1513 Douglas æneis i. v. 80 Than with the glitterand volf skyn ouer his array, Cleid in his nwreis talbart glaid and gay. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xii. 12 Syr Thomas Wage caused syr Hewe Spencer to be fast bound on y⊇ best and leuiest hors of al y⊇ host, and caused hym to were on a tabarte, suche as traytours and theues were wont to were. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 213. [1866 Rogers Agric. & Prices I. xxii. 582 Tabards, that is short gowns, with or without sleeves, probably without an opening in front, but drawn over the head like a round frock.] |
| transf. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. cx, Vnlike the cukkow [is] to the phylomene; Thaire tabartis ar noght bothe maid of array. |
2. A short surcoat open at the sides and having short sleeves, worn by a knight over his armour, and emblazoned on the front, back, and sleeves with his armorial bearings. Now only
Hist.| c 1450 Brut cc. 228 (MS. O.), After he lete him vncloþe of his furrede tabard and of his hood, and..saide vnto him..now art þow no knyȝt, but a knaue. 1562 Leigh Armorie (1597) 96 Gentlewomen vnder the degree of a countesse, haue armes on Taberts. 1603 Drayton Bar. Wars ii. xxiii, Ferrer his Taberd, with rich Verry spred, Well knowne in many a Warlike Match before. 1843 James Forest Days I. ii, His sword peeped from under his tabard. |
3. a. The official dress of a herald or pursuivant; a coat or jerkin having short sleeves, or none, and emblazoned with the arms of the sovereign.
| 1598 Stow Surv. 238 Now these Tabardes are onely worne by the Heraults, and bee called their coates of Armes in seruice. 1633 B. Jonson Love's Welcome Wks. (Rtldg.) 661/1 As witnesseth the brief taberd or coat-armour he carries. 1724 Lond. Gaz. No. 6307/1 The Heralds..invested with Taberts of the Sovereign's Arms. 1808 Scott Marm. i. xi, Two pursuivants, whom tabarts deck, With silver scutcheon round their neck. 1864 Boutell Her. Hist. & Pop. xiii. 132 The Tabard remains in use as the Official Habit of Heralds. |
b. A fashionable slimly cut ladies' jerkin or similar garment with short (or no) sleeves;
spec. one used as a beach-robe.
| 1923 in C. W. Cunnington Eng. Women's Clothing in Present Cent. (1952) v. 175 Evening dress with tabard top. 1959 Housewife June 49 A beach tabard in..cotton, over a bikini and bra. 1977 P. D. James Death of Expert Witness ii. xii. 106 She wore a dress in fine fawn wool, topped with an elaborately patterned, short-sleeved tabard. 1983 Times 11 Mar. 8/4 An odd, misshapen tabard, worn with a long slim suede skirt. |
† 4. (?)
| 1526 Rutland MSS. (1905) IV. 264 Leyeng tabardes for your chapell roff, and takyng down the olde ledde. |
5. Comb. tabard-fashion,
tabard-wise;
tabard-like adj.| ? a 1500 Assemb. Ladies 523 In tabard-wyse the slevës hanging doun. 1890 Doyle White Comp. xviii, An air of masterful dignity, which was increased by his tabardlike vesture. 1903 Daily Chron. 31 Mar. 9/1 Those [S. African natives] that don a coat wear it behind before, or slung round their shoulders, tabard-fashion. |
Hence
ˈtabarded a., wearing a tabard.
| 1837 Old Commodore II. 12 The tabarded official most submissively replied, That if such right existed [etc.]. |