Forms: 4 witleȝtr’, 5 whittlether, 5–7 whit(-)lether, 7–9 whit-leather, 6– whitleather. [WHITE a. 2 (with normal shortening in comb.) and LEATHER sb. For illustration of white leather see 1 β.]
1. Leather of a white or light color and soft pliant consistence, prepared by tawing, i.e., dressing with alum and salt, so as to retain the natural color. Also attrib.
1365–7. Priory of Finchale (Surtees), p. lxxii. Cum ferrura, cingulis, capestris, witleȝtr’, scutels [etc.].
1487–8. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 417. Pro whitlether pro lez bawdrikez, vj d.
1573–80. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 36. Hole bridle and saddle, whit lether and nall.
1623. trans. Favine’s Theat. Hon., I. vi. 58. A large strong thong or strap of whit-leather.
1784. J. Twamley, Dairying Exempl., 40. I have seen one part of a Skin of a well coloured sound nature, another Part that had somewhat the look of rough Parchment, or hard Whitleather.
1877. N. W. Linc. Gloss., Whitleather, sheep’s-skins, prepared for thongs of flails, repairing harness, &c. Formerly used for baldricks of church-bells.
β. c. 1440, 1519. [see LEATHER sb. 1].
1500. Louth Church Acc., in N. W. Linc. Gloss. (1889), s.v., For j horskyn & di. skyn whiett ledder.
1556. Churchw. Acc. Minchinhampton, in Archaeologia (1853), XXXV. 423. For wyet lether, and makyng off bawryxes, xviij d.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Bos, Bubuli cortabi,… thonges of white leather.
1885. A. Watt, Leather Manuf., 39. When tawed, or prepared with alum and salt, they [sc. sheepskins] form what is termed white leather.
attrib. and Comb. a. 1600[?]. MS. Lansd. 241 (Halliw.). Thy gerdill made of the whittlether whange.
1635. J. Gower, Pyrgomachia, C 3. Then from thy flesh I’le draw thy hide, And have it throughly tann’d, and dry’d Whit-lether-like.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Whit-leather thongs.
b. In comparisons, or as a type of toughness, elasticity, softness, etc.; hence fig. Also attrib.
1605. Breton, I pray you be not angrie, B 4. I am thus handled … with this wicked olde peece of Whit-leather.
1610. Beaum. & Fl., Scornf. Lady, V. i. Hast thou so much moisture in the Whitleather hide yet, that thou canst cry?
1622. Massinger & Dekker, Virg. Mart., IV. ii. I 2. The guts of my conscience beginne to be of whit-leather.
1697. Vanbrugh, Relapse, V. iii. Nurse. I’ll soon bring his Nose to the Grind-stone. C[oupler] aside. Well said, old White-leather!
a. 1713. Ellwood, Hist. Life (1714), 316. My Sides are not of Iron, neither Are my Lungs made of Whit-leather.
1830. G. P. R. James, Darnley, v. Pray God to make all your bones as soft as whit-leather.
1839. Mrs. Kirkland, New Home, xxxiv. 225. Her eyes grew preternaturally pale, and her lips wan as whit-leather.
2. The tough ligament in the neck of an ox or other grazing animal, also called paxwax.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., VI. iii. 362. That … Ligament—Called the Whitleather, Packwax, Taxwax, and Fixfax.
