Forms: 5–6 fres(s)e, 5–7 fryce, fryse, 6 friese, fryze, 6–8 frees(e, -z(e, 5–9 frise, 6–9 frize, 7 freise, -ze, 6– frieze. [a. Fr. frise (from 15th c.), f. friser (16th c.) to curl (hair, etc.): see FRIZZ v.1]
1. A kind of coarse woollen cloth, with a nap, usually on one side only; now esp. of Irish manufacture. Also frieze-cloth, † frieze-ware.
1418. E. E. Wills (1882), 37. Also a gowne of grene frese.
1462. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 150. Item, payd ffor iij. ȝerdys off blakke ffryce ij. s. ob.
1483. Act 1 Ric. III., c. 8 § 18. The making … of any Cloth called Frise Ware.
a. 1529. Skelton, Agst. Garnesche, Wks. (Dyce), I. 121.
| In dud frese ye war schrynyd, | |
| With better frese lynyd. |
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. xix. (1634), 407. For this is truly said, that oftentimes in freese and course cloth dwelleth a purple heart.
1611. Speed, Theat. Gt. Brit., vi. (1614), 11/1. This County [Surrey] is by some men compared unto a home-spun freeze-cloth, with a costly fair list, for that the out-verge doth exceed the middle it self.
1627. Lisander & Cal., V. 89. The slaue then appearing at the door in his Wast-coate of redde Fryse, his Breeches of course Canuas, and his blew Cap.
1683. Brit. Spec., 43. Gaunacum, (whence our word Gown) which was a thick Covering made of course Wool, having a Nap on both sides like Freez, worn by the Gauls and better sort of Britains to keep out the Cold.
1765. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, VII. xxi. An old calash, belonging to the abbesse, lined with green frize, was ordered to be drawn out into the sun.
1803. Ann. Rev., I. 416/2. In the county of Wicklow a kind of frize and ratteen of pretty good quality, is very generally made for domestic uses, and considerable quantities are annually sold at the fairs.
1827. Miss Sedgwick, H. Leslie, II. xi. 214. His dress was an over-coat of coarse frieze cloth, much torn and weather beaten, and strapped around his waist with a leathern girdle.
1856. Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, IV. 540.
| Half Saint Giles in frieze | |
| Was bidden to meet Saint James in cloth of gold. |
† 2. The nap or down on a plant; a tuft of the same. Obs.
1640. Parkinson, Theat. Bot., 255. Huskes or skinnes consisting of nine leaves, three whereof fall downe, having a freeze neere the bottomes.
1657. W. Coles, Adam in Eden, 110. Round Leaves … much lesser, thicker, and greener than those of the Butter-burr, with a little Down or Freese.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 109/1. Dittany hath … a Tassel in the middle … with a little Freez or Thrum at the ends of each.
3. In Leather-manuf. An imperfection in leather, consisting in a bruising or abrasion of the grain.
1885. C. T. Davis, Manuf. Leather, IV. xiii. 239. ‘Frieze’ is principally caused in the subsequent step of sweating when the grain of the hide is inclined to be tender and has the appearance of being scraped off.
4. attrib. and Comb. Chiefly simple attrib. or quasi-adj. = ‘made of frieze,’ as in frieze coat (whence frieze-coated adj.). Also frieze-coat, a designation applied to an Irish peasant; † frieze-leather = frizzed leather.
1531. in Weaver, Wells Wills (1890), 29. Wm Wey als. Smyȝth my olde ffryse cotte. Ibid., 28. Sir John Sherman my ffryce gowne.
c. 1550. W. S., Disc. Common Weal Eng., II. (1893), 82. A servinge man was content to goe in a kendall cote in somer, or in a frese cote in winter.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 1365/1. Maister Latimer … wearing an olde threadebare Bristowe fryse gowne gyrded to his bodye with a peny lether gyrdell.
1594. Plat, The Jewell House of Art and Nature, III. 72. I know a gentleman that doth vse to rub his spanish leather shooes with the backeside of a peece of freese-leather.
1598. Florio, Marrochino, Spanish lether, frizeleather.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, A ij. Vp starts an old cacodemicall Academicke with his frize bonnet.
1640. W. M., Wandering Jew (1857), 22. Let Fortune snatch her wheel from you, a poore Ale-house is your Inne, an old Freeze Jerkin in Summer your Sonday-suit, and a Plimouth cloake your Caster.
1775. Sheridan, Duenna, II. iii. Nobility, without an estate, is as ridiculous as gold lace on a frize coat.
1796. Coleridge, Observ. Blossom 1st Feb. This dark, frieze-coated, hoarse, teeth-chattering Month.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil (Rtldg.), 295. ‘Poor Ireland!’ said Gerard. ‘Well, I think the frieze-coats might give us a helping hand now, and employ the troops at least.’
1886. Hall Caine, Son of Hagar, II. xvi. Paul had thrown on a long frieze ulster.
fig. 1589. Pappe with an Hatchet (1844), 39. Botching in such frize iestes vppon fustion earnest.
