Forms: 6 foret, 7 ferrit, 7– ferret. See also FLORET. [Usually believed to be ad. It. fioretti floss-silk (rendered ‘ferret silk’ by Florio: see quot. 1598), pl. of fioretto, dim. of fiore flower; the corresponding F. fleuret has senses answering to both those explained below.]
† 1. attrib. Ferret-silk = floss silk. Obs.
1576. Gascoigne, Steele Gl. (Arb.), 80. When perchmentiers [i.e., makers of trimmings, F. passementiers], put in no ferret Silke.
1598. Florio, Fioretti … a kind of course silke called foret or ferret silke.
1612. Sc. Bk. Customs, in Halyburton’s Ledger (1867), 326. Filosell or ferrett silk the pound viii li.
2. A stout tape most commonly made of cotton, but also of silk; then known as Italian ferret. Green-ferret, fig. of officialism (cf. red-tape). Also attrib., as ferret-ribbon, -ribboning.
1649. Gild Law, in Mackenzie, Newcastle, II. 666, note. They shall wear no show strings better than ferret … ribbin.
1668. Dryden, Evening’s Love, IV. iii. There’s your ferret-ribboning for garters.
1697. Lond. Gaz., No. 3331/4. Leather Breeches, tied at the Knees with green Ferrit. Ibid. (1715), No. 5327/2. The working of Galloons, Ribbons, Ferret, &c. by Mills.
1783. W. F. Martyn, Geog. Mag., II. 268. The inhabitants [of Amiens] carry on a manufacture of ferrets, and make a considerable quantity of curious black and green soap.
1812. H. & J. Smith, Rej. Addr. (1839), 54.
| Red wax and green ferret | |
| Are fixed at the foot of the deeds! |
1826. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. II. (1863), 426. The bobbin, the ferret, shirt-buttons, shoe-strings?
1836. in Mrs. Papendiek, Crt. Q. Charlotte (1887), II. 257. The venetian blinds I had new strung at home with silk ferret.
1852. Dickens, Bleak Ho., x. Mr. Snagsby has dealt in … red tape and green ferret.
