Also 4–6 walet, 5 wallett(e, 6 walett, wallyt, 6, 7, 9 dial. wallat. [Of obscure origin; the stress wale·t (beside wa·let) in Chaucer is unfavorable to the current theory that the word is a metathesis of watel WATTLE sb.
Possibly a. OF. or AF. *walet, which might be derived from Teut. *wall- to go on pilgrimage (WALL v.2) or *wall- to roll up (see under WALL v.1]
1. A bag for holding provisions, clothing, books, etc., esp. on a journey either on foot or on horseback; a pilgrim’s scrip, a knapsack, a pedlar’s pack, or the like.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 681. But hood, for Iolitee, wered he noon, For it was trussed vp in his walet [rhyme Iet]. Ibid., 686. His walet [lay] biforn hym in his lappe, Bret ful of pardon comen from Rome al hoot.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. i. (Skeat), 106. Yet have I ensample to gadere the smale crommes, and fullen my walet of tho that fallen from the borde among the smale houndes.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 514/1. Walette, seek, or poke, sistarcia.
1506–7. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., III. 372. Item, for ane wallat to John of Bute xij d.
1514. A. Barclay, Eglogue, iv. 9. Within his wallet were meates good and fine.
1523–34. Fitzherb., Husb., § 141. Take hede … what maner of people resorte and comme to thy house … and specially if they brynge with them … bottelles, bagges, wallettes, or busshell-pokes.
c. 1529. Skelton, E. Rummyng, 461. Another brought two goslynges … She brought them in a wallet.
1535. Coverdale, Judith xiii. 10. She … delyuered the head of Holofernes vnto hir mayden, and bad hir put it in hir walett [Gr. εἰς τὴν πήραν τῶν βρωμάτων αὐτῆς, Vulg. in peram suam].
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. 11 b. Husbandry necessaries … the smaller sort be these … Sacks, Wallets, Bottels, [etc.].
1609. Dekker, Guls Horne-bk., i. 7. Neither … the Switzers blistred Cod-peece, nor the Danish sleeue, sagging downe like a Welsh wallet.
1617. Churchw. Acc. Pittington, etc. (Surtees), 292. For makinge of a wallet to put the challenc and a bottle in, 1 d.
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea, xxvii. 62. Their Childe they carry in a Wallet about their necke, ordinarily vnder one arme, because it may sucke when it will.
c. 1670. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 39. A wallet to cari books.
1712. Spectator, No. 289, ¶ 9. Having looked about him for some time, he [a Dervise] enter’d into a long Gallery, where he laid down his Wallet, and spread his Carpet, in order to repose himself upon it.
a. 1721. Prior, Cupid turned Plowman, 2. A rustic wallet o’er his shoulders ty’d.
1760–2. Goldsm., Cit. W., lxii. With her scanty wardrobe packed up in a wallet, she set out on her journey on foot.
1791. A. Wilson, Pack, Poet. Wks. 1876, II. 30. My pond’rous Pack apo’ the ground I carelessly had flung; A wallet green, wi straps fast bound.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xii. The old man had forgotten a kind of wallet which contained the light burden he had to carry.
1859. Thackeray, Virgin., lxii. I have heard he came up to London himself as a young man with only his tragedy in his wallet.
1904. Bridges, Demeter, 592. Approach him with a gift: this little wallet. (Giving a little bag of seeds.)
1914. Miss. Rec. U. F. Ch., Jan., 3/2. The Highlands, where there is no more welcome visitor than the colporteur with his wallet of healthy and inspiring literature.
Proverb, To brew in a bottle and bake in a wallet: ? to attempt enterprises beyond one’s means.
c. 1540. Boorde, Bk. for to Lerne, B iv. These men the whiche doo brewe in a botell and bake in a walet.
b. spec. A bag having the opening in the middle and a receptacle at each end.
Some of the instances above may belong to this specific sense. The wallet ‘with two pouches in it’ was prob. originally slung across the horse, or over the shoulder of the pedestrian.
1528, 1638. [see 1 c].
1674. Jackson’s Recant., A 4 b. Being thus early up, I timely met with a long Purse lying neglected in the Street, whose entrance was on the middle like a Wallat.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Wallet, a kind of Bag with two Pouches to it.
1880. Jefferies, Gt. Estate, 141. The wallet is almost unknown even in farmsteads now: it is a kind of long bag closed at each end, but with a slit in the centre for the insertion of things.
1886. Cheshire Gloss., Wallet or Wally,… As a hatting term it is a workbag with the entrance in the centre and made up at each end.
c. fig.
The fable here alluded to (Phædrus IV. x) says that Jupiter gave to every man two bags, one of which, containing his own faults, hangs at his back, and the other, containing those of his fellows, hangs at his breast.
1528. More, Dyaloge, III. Wks. 233/1. If we wold once tourne oure wallette … and the bagge with other folkes faultes cast at oure backe, and caste the bagge that bereth our own faultes … before vs at our brest.
1570. B. Googe, Popish Kingd., IV. 60. But sure the wallet them beguiles, that hanges behinde their backe, And better others faultes they see, than what themselues doe lacke.
1589. Cooper, Admonit. (Arb.), 18. They looke not into their owne doings: they cast that end of the wallet behinde them, wherein their owne faultes are wrapped.
1638. Sanderson, Serm. (1681), II. 118. Neither of both … were willing enough to look into the other end of the wallet, and to examine throughly their own spirits.
d. A beggar’s bag. † Phrases, to bear the wallet, to be a beggar. [= Fr. porter la besace.]
1546. Supplic. Poore Commons (E.E.T.S.), 19. Bringing them vp other to bear wallettes, other els, if thei be sturdy, to stuffe prisons.
1561. B. Googe, trans. Palingenius’ Zodiac, V. N vj. And se thy goodes they not decrease but may augmented be, Least in thy age the wallet come.
1608. Dekker, Belman Lond., Wks. (Grosart), III. 85. Thou art likewise to Giue way to any of vs that haue borne all the Offices of the Wallet before thee.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus ii. 6. (1619), 405. Needs must he beare a wallet, and die a beggar.
1622. Bacon, To King, Wks. 1874, XIX. 386. Pity me so far, as I that have borne a bag be not now in my age forced in effect to bear a wallet.
1654. Gataker, Disc. Apol., 30. Without House or Land, or so much as a Wallet to go a begging with.
1665. Surv. Affaires of Netherlands, 33. They coyned Meddals with the Kings Picture, on the one hand a Wallet, and a Dish on the other, with this Inscription, Faithful to God and the King, even to bear the Wallet.
1790. Cowper, Odyss., XVII. 237. So saying, his tatter’d wallet o’er his back He cast.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Hill & Valley, ix. 135. Without a crust in my wallet, as beggars usually have.
1836. [Hooton], Bilberry Thurland, I. vi. 124. Their appetites were now recovered, and the contributions of their collected wallets were found insufficient for the whole.
1879. Maclear, Celts, viii. 125. Itinerant beggars, who went about with wallets, were not regarded with favour.
fig. 1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. iii. 145. Time hath (my lorde) a wallet at his backe Wherein he puts almes for obliuion.
e. A lawyer’s bag. ? Obs.
1645. Milton, Colast., 17. A meer and arrant petti-fogger, who lately was so hardy, as to lay aside his buckram wallet, and make himself a fool in Print.
f. Her. (See quot.)
c. 1828. Berry, Encycl. Herald., I. Gloss., Wallet, a scrip, or pilgrim’s pouch.
† 2. transf. Something (in an animal’s body) protuberant and swagging. Cf. WATTLE sb.2 Obs.
1610. Shaks., Temp., III. iii. 46. Who would believe that there were Mountayneeres, Dew-lapt, like Buls, whose throats had hanging at ’em Wallets of flesh?
1698. Phil. Trans., XX. 137. Since the great Bulk or Wallet of these Intestines must incline and swag towards the Diaphragm.
3. A flat bag, usually of leather, closed by a flap fastened with a button or clasp, or secured by a band. Orig. U.S.
a. A pocket-book for holding paper money without folding, or documents.
1845. N. P. Willis, Dashes at Life, II. 245. Our several borrowings were thrust into a wallet which was sometimes in his pocket, and sometimes in mine, as each took the turn to be paymaster.
1854. Webster, Wallet,… also, a pocket-book or place for keeping money about one’s person.
1884. Advt., Thin Pocket Diary, for Wallet.
1888. Cassell [as ‘American’].
1913. Daily News, 1 Nov., 7. The plaintiff, a diamond merchant, was carrying a wallet containing £370 in bank-notes, brilliants value £320, two necklaces…, a diamond pendant cluster, [etc.]. Ibid. (1914), 29 Jan., 2. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a leather dollar wallet and examined its contents.
b. A cyclist’s tool-bag.
1887. Bury & Hillier, Cycling, 432. The wallet, or tool-bag, is generally supplied with the machine.
c. ‘A small kit carried by anglers,’ containing ‘thread and needles, awl, waxed ends,… a pair of small pliers, a file, etc.’ (Cent. Dict.). ? U.S.
4. attrib. and Comb. as wallet-bearer, book; † wallet-ways adv.; wallet envelope, an envelope with a broad flap like that of a wallet.
1611. Cotgr., Besacier, the bag-bearer, or wallet-bearer of a begging, or beggarly companie.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, III. i. 69. You may perchance thinke it improper to behold me upon thy asse hanging Wallet-wayes.
1823. Gillies, Aristotle’s Rhet., III. ii. 372. In this way Iphicrates insulted Callias, by calling him the wallet-bearer of the goddess, instead of her torch-bearer.
1863. J. C. Bruce (title), The Wallet-book of the Roman Wall.
