Forms: 5 lynsy-, 6 lylse-, lince-, lynse-, 6–8 linsi(e-, -y(e-, 7 lin(t)sie-, lincy-, linzy-, lynsey-, 7–9 lindsey-, 6– linsey-; 5 -wolsye, 6 -wolse, -woolsy(e, -wulse(y, 6–8 -wo(o)lsie, -y, 6–9 -wolsey, 6– -woolsey. [f. prec. + WOOL, with jingling ending.]
1. Orig. a textile material, woven from a mixture of wool and flax; now, a dress material of coarse inferior wool, woven upon a cotton warp. Also pl. Pieces or kinds of this material.
1483. Cath. Angl., 217/2. Lynsy wolsye, linistema vel linostema.
1522. Skelton, Why not to Court, 128. We shall haue a tot quot From the Pope of Rome, To weue all in one lome A webbe of lylse wulse.
1591. H. Smith, Prep. Marriage, 157. God forbad the people to weare linsey wolsey, because it was a signe of inconstancie.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, To Rdr. I had as lieue haue … no cloathes rather then wear linsey wolsey.
1670. D. Denton, Descr. New York (1845), 18. They make every one Cloth of for their own wearing, as also woollen Cloth, and Linsey-woolsey.
c. 1710. C. Fiennes, Diary (1888), 159. Kendall Cotton … is much made here and also Linsi-woolseys.
1784. R. Bage, Barham Downs, I. 169. Martha … delighted to be cloathed in good Linsy Woolsy, the work of her own hands.
1826. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. II. 73. Then ensues another set of changes … till gray hairs, wrinkles, and lindsey-woolsey wind up the picture.
1855. W. Sargent, Braddock’s Exped., 85. Dresses of linsey-woolsey (a cloth, home-woven, of wool and flax).
b. A garment of this material.
1894. Mrs. H. Ward, Marcella, I. 18. Marcella … had usually figured … in a linsey-woolsey.
2. fig. or in figurative contexts, esp. a strange medley in talk or action; confusion, nonsense.
1592[?]. Greene, Vision, Wks. 1881–6, XII. 235. Thou hast write no booke well, but thy Nunquam sera est, and that is indifferent Linsey Wolsey.
1594. Nashe, Terrors of Night, Wks. 1883, III. 229. A man must not … haue his affections linsey wolsey, intermingled with lust, and things worthy of liking.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, IV. i. 13. What linsie wolsy hast thou to speake to vs againe.
1628. Ford, Lover’s Mel., V. i. This unfashionable mongrel, this linsey-wolsey of mortality.
1694. S. Johnson, Notes Past. Let. Bp. Burnet, I. 52. Far be it from all Mankind to impute such All-to-mall and Linsey-wolsey to the Providence of God.
3. attrib. passing into adj.
1618. Donne, Serm., cxxxiii. V. 394. Out of his word I can preach against Linsey-woolsey garments [Deut. xxii. 11].
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XI. v. [I] have never seen any of your cash, unless for one lindsey woolsey coat.
1777. W. Dalrymple, Trav. Sp. & Port., xxix. The women wore jackets and aprons … with a kind of linsey woolsey petticoat.
1839. Stonehouse, Axholme, 47. Forty or fifty years ago … a servant of the best class … was clad chiefly in linsey woolsey garments.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. Pref. 5. To dress the sovereign in a linsey-woolsey garb would be seen at once to be a very unsuitable investiture.
b. fig. Chiefly with sense, ‘giving the appearance of a strange medley,’ ‘being neither one thing nor the other.’
1565. T. Stapleton, Fortr. Faith, 102 b. An asse in a rochet, a lince wolse bishop.
1619. Bp. Sanderson, Serm., I. 18. The linsey-woolsey Laodicean church, neither hot nor cold.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. iii. 1227. A Lawless Linsy-woolsy Brother, Half of one Order, half another.
1758. J. Rutty, Spirit. Diary (ed. 2), 125. Lord take away this linsey-woolsey virtue!
1823. Examiner, 532/1. A perking, prurient, linsey-wolsey species of composition.
4. Comb., as linsey-woolsey-wise adv.
1606. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. II. Magnif., 32. And also mingle (Linsie-woolsie-wise) This gold-ground Tissue with too-mean supplies.
