[OE. Eoforwíc, later Efer-, Euerwíc, ME. Everwik, also Yerk (Havelok), surviving in Lincolnshire dial. Yerksheer, and York (cf. ON. c. 960 Jorvik, later Jork), ad. L. Eboracum, with addition of wíc dwelling.]
1. The name of the capital of Yorkshire; used attrib. in names of things originating from or peculiar to York or Yorkshire, as York ham, † York robe, York tan. York paving, paving with Yorkshire stone. York pitch (of a plane): see quot. 1875 and PITCH sb.2 24 g; hence York-pitched a. York use Eccl.: see USE sb. 12.
1794. Waldron, Heigho for Husb., III. i. 27. There’s not a week goes over her head, but she [sc. the mistress] says to me … Maria, my dear, you may take that polonese, or York-robe, or pierrot, or whatever dress it happens to be.
1815. Jane Austen, Emma, xxiv. While the sleek, well tied parcels of ‘Men’s Beavers’ and ‘York Tan’ were … displaying on the counter.
1826. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. II. My Godfather’s Manœuvring. [He] actually drew my York-tan gloves from my astonished hands, and substituted a pair of his own best white kid.
1853. Whyte-Melville, Digby Grand, x. The Major’s York-tan gaiters.
1861. Skyring’s Builders’ Prices, 87. York paving, per foot super … 0s. 8d.
1875. Carpentry & Join., 144. Knotted or cross-grained wood can [only] be planed … with a special tool, of which the iron is placed at a more obtuse angle…. For deal and soft wood this is 45 degs., or common pitch; for mahogany and hard wood 50 degs., or York pitch.
1877. Hellyer, Plumber, vii. 54. The other compartment should be sealed over … with a piece of York stone.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 7 April, 2/3. A ham is a ‘York’ ham if composed of English meat and prepared in Yorkshire or ‘in contiguous counties or places.’
1913. Engl. Rev., April, 110. The wood, being cut, is planed up and finished with a ‘York-pitched’ plane.
b. as predicative adj. connoting the character of a Yorkshireman: cf. YORKSHIRE 2.
1856. Lever, Martins of Cro’ M., xxxix. Don’t lose your time trying to humbug me, I’m ‘York’ too.
c. Short for Yorkshire cabbage.
1823. Cobbett, Rur. Rides, 26 July (1885), I. 210. They appear to be early Yorks, and look very well.
1841. J. T. Hewlett, Parish Clerk, I. 102. Large patches of early yorks.
2. Pertaining to the royal house of York; spec. = YORKIST 1 b.
York pence, copper coins of the reign of Henry VI. York and Lancaster rose (see quots.); hence allusive use of York and Lancaster in quot. 1653.
14[?]. Norwich Corporation Records (Halliw.). Pens of topens fabricatis de ære vocatis brasenpens, secundum formam et similitudinem denar. vocat. Yorkpens.
1653. Cleveland, Upon Phillis walking, 26, Poems, 22. And he that for their colour seeks, May find it vaulting in her cheeks, Where Roses mix: no civill war Between her York and Lancaster.
1688. Holme, Armoury, II. 62/2. The York and Landcaster Rose, is half white, half red in the leaves: but in Herauldry it is a white Rose, in a red Rose.
1759. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. i. 4. Henry himself … had imbibed a violent antipathy to the York party. Ibid., 8. The retainers of the York family.
1837. Rivers, Rose Amateur’s G., 12. The true York and Lancaster Rose is a Damask Rose.
3. One of the heralds of the College of Arms.
1630. B. Jonson, New Inn, II. vi. She’s a wild-Irish borne! Sir, and a Hybride, That … studies Vincent against Yorke.
1766. [see HERALD sb. 1 c].
4. = New York; in York shilling, (a) in U.S.A. 121/2 cents, (b) in Canada sixpence.
1824. Microscope (Albany), 27 March (Thornton, Amer. Gloss.). The bill amounted to the enormous sum of one York shilling for each gentleman.
1883. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Suppl., York shilling, a name in Western Canada for the English sixpence.
