Forms: α. 3–4 worth-, 4 wurthstede, worthested(e, wortestede; 3 wr-, 4–5 wurstede, 6 -steede, 5–6 wursted (5 -stet); 4–5 wirsted, 6 wyrsted, 5 werstede; 4–6 worstede (5 wore-), 4– worsted (4 -seted, 6 -stedd, -styd; 5 -stet, 6 -stett; 6 vorsted), 5 worsteyd, 6 -steid; 6–8 worstead; 6 woorstred, 7 -sted, -stead. β. 5–6 wolsted(e, 6 wullstid, ulsted, 7 wolsteed, 6, 8 woolsted. γ. 5–6 wusted, 5–7 wosted, 6–8 woosted. δ. Sc. and n. dial. 4, 6–7, 9 worset, 4, 6–7 worsett, 7 worssett; 5–6 worsat, 6 worsatt, -ait, 9 wurset, -it, wossat, wusset; 4 wirset, 5 wirssat, 6 wirsait; 5 wersed. [From the name of a parish in Norfolk, north of Norwich, originally (OE.) Wurðestede, later Wurthstede, Worthsted, etc., and now written Worstead.]
† 1. (Anglo-Latin) pannus, (Anglo-French) drap, de Wurthstede, etc.: = sense 2. Obs.
1296. Cal. Close Rolls (1904), 511. Pannum de Worthstede.
1301. Let. Pat., 4 Oct. in Northampton Bor. Rec. (1898), I. 59. De quolibet panno de wurthstede qui vocatur coverlit.
1328. Rolls of Parlt., II. 28/1. Ses poueres … Overours des Draps de Wurthstede en le Counte de Norff. Ibid. (1347), 168/2. Pur Draps de Worstede une novelle Custume levee.
1350. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 173. In 11 pannis de nigro worseto. Ibid. (1402–3), 182. In tribus pannis de wirsted. Ibid. (1442–3), 185. In 1 panno nigro de worestede.
2. A woollen fabric or stuff made from well-twisted yarn spun of long-staple wool combed to lay the fibers parallel.
α. 1293. in Camden Misc., II. 13. Pro xj. ulnis de wrstede ad caligas faciendas.
1345–9. in Archaeologia, XXXI. 78. Eidem ad vnam aulam de worstede operatam cum papagailles.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 262. Of double worstede was his semycope.
1393–4. Act 17 Rich. II., c. 2 Les Marchants & overours de draps appelez sengle Worstede.
1411. E. E. Wills (1882), 19. Also y be-queythe to Robert, myn heldest son, a reed bedde of worsteyd.
1459. Paston Lett., I. 478. Item, j pece of grene wurstet xxx yards longe. Ibid. (1465), (1904), IV. 201. A coverlyte of whyte werstede longyng therto.
1535. in Archaeologia, IX. 240. A dubblette of wursteede.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 61 b. Within hys gate … dwelled dyuerse Frenchmen that Kalendred Worsted, contrary to the kynges lawes.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., 475. They obtained … that the Worsted made there [at Norwich] might be transported.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Norf. (1662), 247. It surpasseth my skill to name the several stuffs (being Worsted disguised with Weaving and Colouring) made thereof.
1728. Pope, Dunc., II. 150. The very worstead still look’d black and blue.
1771. Mrs. Haywood, New Present for Maid, 258. Directions for cleaning of Worsted and other Sorts of Stuffs.
1886. Beck, Draper’s Dict., 373. Worsted, cloth of long stapled-wool, combed straightly and smoothly, as distinct from woollens, which are woven from short staple wool, crossed and roughed in spinning.
β. 1436. Nottingham Rec., II. 152. Unum cowle de nigro wolstede.
1551–2. Act 5 & 6 Edw. VI., c. 7 § 1. Any kynda of Clothe Chamlettes Wolstede Sayes [etc.].
1598. Stow, Surv., 76. His guarde … all in a Liuery of Wolsted.
γ. 1440. in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 182. A vestment of Black wosted.
1481–90. Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.), 38. A piece wusted iij. yerdes deppe, for stremers and standartes.
1537. in Glasscock, Rec. St. Michael’s, Bp.’s Stortford (1882), 126. Item a vestment of grene wusted wt an obe.
1556. Towrson’s 1st Voy., in Hakluyt (1589), 108. They shewed vs a certaine course cloth,… it was course wooll, and a small threed, and as thicke as wosted.
1607. R. C[arew], trans. Estienne’s World Wond., 235. Sleeues…, one halfe of woosted, the other of veluet.
δ. 1350. [see 1].
1375. Exch. Rolls Scot., II. 505. Per empcionem de xij ulnis cum dimidio de wirset.
1436. Registr. Aberdon. (Maitl. Club), II. 148. Vnum vestimentum integrum de nigro wersed.
1483. Acta Auditorum (1839), *112/1. A couering of Inglis worsat.
1520–1. Fabric Rolls York Minster (Surtees), 305. One vestment of blacke worsett.
1565. in Hay Fleming, Reform. Scot. (1910), 610. Ane baithkyt [sic] of roich worsat, to ly under nobillis feit.
1612. Sc. Bk. Rates, in Halyburton’s Ledger (1867), 239. Beltis … of worsett the groce, viij li.
b. With pl. A particular variety of this fabric.
1314–5. Rolls of Parlt., I. 292/2. Draps qe homme appele Worthstedes & Aylehames.
1348. in Rymer Fœdera (1708), V. 618. Stapula … aliorum Pannorum de Worstedes.
1393. Pat. Roll 16 Rich. II., II. 28 Feb. Pro mercatoribus et operatoribus de worstedes.
1442. Rolls of Parlt., V. 60/2. Persones that maken untrewe ware of all maner Worstedes.
1471. Paston Lett., III. 14. A Worsted man of Norffolk, that solde worstedys at Wynchester.
1541–2. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 16 § 2. The makinge and weavinge of worstedes and other clothes.
1573–80. Baret, Alv., V 92. As if a man should carrie Mockadoes and woolsteds to be sold at Norwich.
1603. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw., 27. They inuented … the making of tapestrie, saies, searges, wosteds, russets.
1853. Ure, Dict. Arts, II. 833. The class of goods technically distinguished as ‘woollens’ in distinction to ‘worsteds.’
1895. Daily News, 13 Sept., 5/3. The revival is more apparent in the production of the higher class of goods known as worsteds than in that known as woollens.
3. A closely twisted yarn made of long-staple wool in which the fibers are arranged to lie parallel to each other. Later, a fine and soft woollen yarn used for knitting and embroidery (cf. WOOL sb. 3 b).
1465. Paston Lett., II. 235. I pray yow ye woll send me hedir ij. clue of worsted for dobletts, to happe me thys cold wynter.
1546. Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 236. Ane grit buyst, and certane kemmis, worsettis, spectikyllis, and wther small geir in it.
1612. Sc. Bk. Rates, in Halyburton’s Ledger (1867), 296. Sewing worssett.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 143. Their loom stands before them, and in their left hand they have several ends of round bottoms of Woorstead of many colours, which they place in their several places.
1709. Phil. Trans., XXVIII. 265. She being a Spinner of Yarn or Woosted.
a. 1745. Swift, Story Injured Lady (1746), 7. If a Tenant carried but … an Inch of Worsted to mend his Stockings, he should forfeit his whole Parcel.
1784. Adam Smith, W. N., IV. viii. (1793), II. 507. Woollen yarn and worsted are prohibited to be exported under the same penalties as wool.
1841. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Nell Cook, Scene, Mrs. John Ingoldsby at the table, busily employed in manufacturing a cabbage-rose … in many-coloured worsteds.
1854. Surtees, Handley Cr., lx. (1901), II. 152. The young ones sought out their threads and their worsteds to work her a collar or a piece of crochet work each.
1889. A. T. Dowell, in Hardwicke’s Sci.-Gossip, XXV. 134/2. The syphon, which may consist of a single thread of wool or worsted.
4. attrib. or adj. Made of worsted or worsted yarn; said of cloth, thread, garments, etc.; also in specific names of fabrics or materials, as worsted braid, damask, etc.
1410. Rolls of Parlt., III. 637/2. Les Worstedes appelez Worsted-beddes, doubles, & sengles.
1492. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 202. For ij dowbil wirssat beltis til him, price iij s. Ibid. (1502), II. 198. For iiij elne worsait ribane to cord the said goune.
1533. Test. Ebor., VI. 43. A wolsted dublet.
1566. in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 67. Item iij worsted copes.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 74. Spangled like to the woosted stockings of Saturne.
1605. Erondelle, Fr. Gard., D 8 b. I will haue no woorsted hosen.
1647. Herrick, Noble Numb., Widow’s Tears, iv. The woosted thred Is cut, that made us clothing.
1720. T. Gordon, Humourist, I. 45. Renouncing his Buckles and conforming to Woolsted-Tapes.
1748. Smollett, R. Random, xvii. His white silk stockings were converted into black worsted hose.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, vi. The thumb of his mother’s worsted glove might hold the treasure of the whole clan.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVII. 555/2. Worsted shag [is made] at Banbury and Coventry.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? I. vi. Two small worsted rugs.
1878. Miss Braddon, Eleanor’s Vict., ii. Voluminous worsted curtains falling before the narrow windows.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 524. Worsted Braids…. Worsted Damasks.
Comb. 1767. Ann. Reg., 158. The looms of a worsted-lace-weaver.
5. Simple attrib. and adjective comb., as worsted-breaker, -comber, -dealer, -factory, machinery, -maker, -making, manufacture, -manufacturer, merchant, mill, repository, † -shearing, † shearman, -spinner, -spinning, -throwster, trade, -weaver, -weaving.
1835. Ure, Philos. Manuf., 217. These two endless chains pass over fluted guide-rollers (like those more obviously seen in the *worsted-breaker).
1702. in P. Wright, New Bk. Martyrs (1784), 808/1. William Hussey, a *worsted comber.
1830. Parson & White, Directory Leeds, etc., 426. *Worsted Dealers.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVII. 554/1. A *worsted factory in the north.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2819. *Worsted machinery.
1538. Starkey, England, I. iii. 95. Weuerys, *worstyd-makyrs, tukkarys and fullarys.
1534. Act 26 Hen. VIII., c. 16 § 5. The said mysterie and occupacion of *Worsted makinge.
1805. Luccock, Nat. Wool, 156. The state of the *worsted manufacture.
1736. in Rec. Convent. Royal Burghs Scot. (1885), V. 604. The case of the silk and *worset manufacturers.
1801. T. Peck, Norwich Directory, 11. Crowe William, Worsted-Manufacturer.
1481. Paston Lett., III. 278. One Bolt, a *worstede marchaunt.
1880. Goldw. Smith, Cowper, vii. 100. The letter slides from spiritual despair to the worsted-merchant.
1836. W. White, Hist. etc. Norf., 96. Two *worsted mills at Norwich.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Worsted-repository,… a shop where fancy knitting-wools are sold.
1503–4. Act 19 Hen. VII., c. 17 § 1. The *Worsted Sheremen wythin the seid Citie … have chosen Wardens of *Worsted sheryng.
1830. Parson & White, Directory Leeds, 171. *Worsted spinners.
1895. Daily News, 21 June, 2/2. The *worsted-spinning business of Henry Pease and Company is one of the oldest of the kind in the country, the foundation dating from 1752.
1716. Lond. Gaz., No. 5401/4. A *Worsted-Throwster by Trade.
1835. Ure, Philos. Manuf., 68. The *worsted trade of England.
1442. Rolls of Parlt., V. 60/2. The craft of *Worsted Wevers.
1707. Lond. Gaz., No. 4319/4. George Durant, of the City of Norwich, Worsted-Weaver.
