Forms: 6–8 brocardo, 7–8 brocado, brocard, 8 brochad, 7– brocade. [The form brocado was a. Sp., Pg. brocado, corresp. to It. broccato ‘cloth of gold and siluer’ (Percivall, Florio), lit. ‘bossed’ or ‘embossed stuff,’ in form masc. pa. pple. of broccare ‘to boss, to stud, to set with great-headed nails,’ f. It. brocca (Sp. broca) a boss or stud, the same word as F. broche, Eng. BROACH, q.v. For the change to -ADE see that ending; the form brochad seems influenced by F. brocher (cf. BROCHE v.). (It is not clear whether the forms brocardo, brocard, and F. brocart, are corruptions of brocado, or distinct formations with the suffix -ardo, -art, -ARD.)]
1. A textile fabric woven with a pattern of raised figures, originally in gold or silver; in later use, any kind of stuff richly wrought or ‘flowered’ with a raised pattern; also a cloth of gold and silver of Indian manufacture.
1563–99. Hakluyt, Voy., II. 215 (Ormus). Cloth of silke, brocardo, and divers other sortes of marchandise come out of Persia.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Brocado, cloth of gold or silver.
1691. Locke, Money, Wks. 1727, II. Whose Wife must spread a long Train of Brocard.
1695. Motteux, St. Olon’s Morocco, 149. Very rich Gold and Silver Brocades.
1702. W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, vii. 24. A sort of Bonnet of Brocardo or Cloth or Gold.
1709. Lond. Gaz., No. 4540/6. Bed Damasks, rich flower’d Sattins, Brochads, etc.
c. 1720. Prior, Phyllis’ Age. Stiff in Brocard, and pinch’d in stays.
1734. Pope, Ess. Man, IV. 186. One flaunts in rags, one flutters in brocade.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., At present, any stuff of silk, satin, or even simple taffety, when wrought, and enriched with flowers, etc., obtains the denomination of brocade.
1841. Elphinstone, Hist. Ind., I. 310. Gold and silver brocade were also favourite, and perhaps original, manufactures of India.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, 53. I mean to bring out my best brocade, that I wore at your christening twenty years ago.
fig. 1861. Craik, Hist. Eng. Lit., II. 267 (L.). The gorgeous brocade does not hide the true fire and fancy beneath.
2. (See quot.)
1869. Eng. Mech., 12 Nov., 215/2. Gold is not put on any paper-hangings, it is a preparation called leaf metal, or a powder called brocade or bronze.
3. attrib. Of or resembling brocade; brocade-shell, a variegated species of cone-shell, Conus geographicus.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 15, ¶ 4. A Brocade Waistcoat or Petticoat are standing Topicks.
1745. Baker, Don Quix., I. I. v. 31. This curious Cap and his fine brocard Cope will make him outshine the Sun-Dial.
1812. Southey, Omniana, II. 283. Somewhat in the brocade fashion of Gongora.
1847. Barham, Ingol. Leg. (1877), 281. Her rich brocade gown sat upright in its place.
