Forms: see FRIEZE sb.1 [ad. F. friser or Sp. frisar; perh. identical with the vb. of the same form represented by FRIEZE v.2: see FRIZZ v.1]
1. trans. To cover with a nap; = COTTON v.1 1. Obs. exc. Hist.
1509, 1557. [see FRIEZED ppl. a.1].
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 15. Many poore people haue ben well set a worke … with dressing & frising of the said cottons.
1591. [see COTTON v.1 1].
1601. [see FRIEZED ppl. a.1 1].
1685. Lond. Gaz., No. 2009/8. For Beautifying of Cloth … by Napping and Freezing the same without Honey.
1885. Fortn. in Waggonette, 61. There were mills for scouring, fulling, and friezing cloth.
† 2. = FRIZZ v.1 (q.v. for examples in the forms freeze, frize). Obs.
† 3. To brush lightly over. (= F. friser ‘effleurer,’ Littré.) Cf. FRIZZLE v.1 3. Obs.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gent., 115. For Leather … take yellow Oker, and some white Lead mixed with it: and where you will have it darker, by degrees, mix Umber with it, and when you have wrought it over, take a broad Pencil and frieze it over with Umber.
4. Comb., † frieze-board (see quot.).
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 348/1. The Frise Board, is that by which the Cloth after it is sheared, hath a Nap or Curl put upon it; from which kind of Working, the Cloaths so wrought, are termed Frises, or Frise-cloth.
Hence Friezing vbl. sb.; also attrib.
1565. Act 8 Eliz. c. 7 § 4. No Person … shall use or exercise the Faculty of Frizing or Cottoning.
1694. Lond. Gaz., No. 2985/4. A new built Water-Mill … containing … a Fryzing Mill, a Raising Mill for Cloth.
