† 1. Naut. pl. Colored cloths hung about the upper works of a ship as an adornment on occasions of ceremony, or on going into action, when they also served to screen the men aboard. Obs.
1615. R. Cocks, Diary (Hakl. Soc.), I. 31. The China Capt. being ready to goe for Goto, I lent hym our boate and wastclothes, and delivered hym back 120 Rs. of 8.
1627. Capt. J. Smith, Sea Gram., xiii. 59. Out goes his flag and pendants, also his waste clothes and top armings, which is a long red cloth … that goeth round about the ship on the out sides of all her vpper workes fore and aft, [etc.] … as well for the … grace of the ship, as to couer the men for being seene.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 16 May. We … had our guns ready to fire, and our scarlet waist-cloathes out and silk pendants.
1840. Hor. Smith, ed. Oliver Cromwell, I. 284. Hundreds of lighters, pinnaces, and longboats, dressed up with waistcloths and with streamers.
2. Naut. A hammock-cloth stowed in the waist of a vessel.
1815. Falconer’s Dict. Marine (ed. Burney), Waist-clothes, coverings of canvas or tarpauling for the hammocks, which are stowed on the gang-ways, between the quarter-deck and fore-castle.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Waist-cloths, the painted canvas coverings of the hammocks which are stowed in the waist-nettings.
3. A loin-cloth that the natives of hot climates wear round the waist, either hanging down in front or passed between the thighs.
1810. T. Williamson, E. Ind. Vade-mecum, I. 247. The dress of the doby is generally very plain, consisting of a turban, a dotee, (or waist-cloth,) and a chudder, (or sheet,) worn loosely over the body in cold weather.
1835. Court Mag., VI. 65/2. Sometimes black glazed jackets formed part of their attire; but generally it consisted of nothing more than a blue checquered dotee, or waistcloth.
1882. De Windt, Equator, 81. The deceased is then brought up attired in his waistcloth and ornaments.
