1. A shop for the sale of trinkets, knick-knacks, or small ornamental articles; a fancy shop. arch.
1693. W. Freke, Sel. Ess., xxxii. 201. Are not these … fitter for a Toy-shop, than a Wise Man’s Head?
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 10, ¶ 6. If they [women] make an Excursion to a Mercer’s or a Toy-shop. Ibid. (1712), No. 499, ¶ 5. Ribbons, brocades, embroidery,… sufficient to have furnished a whole street of toy-shops.
1791. Boswell, Johnson, 28 April, an. 1778. We stopped again at Wirgman’s, the well-known toy-shop,… he sent for me to … help him to choose a pair of silver buckles.
1852. [see 3].
2. A shop for the sale of toys or playthings.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., vi. These booths have degenerated into mere toy-shops, where the little loiterers … are … enchanted by the rich display of hobby-horses, babies, and Dutch toys.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? I. xvi. Lionel could not find in the toyshops of the village a doll good enough.
1886. C. E. Pascoe, Lond. of To-day, xl. (ed. 3), 347. A toy shop, crowded with all sorts of interesting playthings.
3. attrib.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxii. Such … as was never before seen or heard of out of a toy-shop window.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, III. vi. Esmond found the antechamber crowded with milliners and toyshop women … mercers’ men with hangings, and velvets, and brocades.
