Obs. Also 7 tamise, 9 tammis: see also TAMMY sb.2 [a. F. tamis a sieve (of wire, silk, hair, etc.) (12th c. in Littré) = Pr. tamis, Sp. tamiz, It. tamigio, Ven. tamiso, med.L tamisium (Du Cange), identical in origin with WGer. *tamisjo-, the source of OE. and MLG. tęmes sieve, MDu. tęmse, OHG. zemisa: see TEMSE.]
1. A sieve; a strainer or bolting-cloth; also tamis-bolter, -cloth.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XVIII. xi. I. 567. The best bread is of the finest wheat floure, which hath passed through a small tamis bulter. Ibid., XXII. xxv. II. 142. If they be halfe sodden in water … then let passe through a tamise, that the brans might be separate.
1698. M. Lister, Journ. to Paris (1699), 141. This Stone is beat to Powder, and sifted through a fine Tamis.
1801. Mollard, Art of Cookery (1836), 169. Rub them through a tamis cloth or sieve.
1817. W. Kitchiner, Cook’s Oracle (1818), 244. Strain it through a tammis into a clean stewpan. Ibid., 280, note. A Tammis is a worsted cloth,… made on purpose for straining sauces. [Cf. p. 230, a tammy, or fine sieve.]
2. A name for an anther. (? from its scattering pollen.)
1665. Rea, Flora, I. ix. 51. Six chives [in the tulip], tipt with pendents (which are those after the French we call Tamis).
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 65/1. The Agot Tulip is of a sad Isabella colour, with … a dark bottom, and large black Tamis.
1725. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Tulip, The bottom and Tamis blue.
1775. Ash, Tamis [erroneously explained].
3. attrib., as tamis-bolter, -cloth (see 1); tamis-bird, the Guinea-fowl (? from its speckled or powdered appearance).
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), II. III. vi. 75. They [Guinea-hens] are by some called the Barbary-hen: by others the Tamis bird.
