Now Hist. and arch. [App. taken in 16th c. from Irish (and Sc. Gaelic) triubhas, recorded c. 1500 (see quot.), orig. pronounced trīvăs or trīwăs, in mod. Irish pronunc. trïus (see TREWS). (The quot. of 1306, from its early date and late form, is doubtful, and may not belong to this word.) The 16th and 17th-c. quots. here and under TREWS refer to it as worn by the Celts. It has been held to be derived from OF. trousse TRUSS, etc. q.v., but a careful examination of OF. literature by M. Antoine Thomas shows no trace of trousse in the sense assumed, which appears, later than in English, in Miège’s Dict., 1679. The thing is said by Littré to have been worn (? in 17th c.) by young pages and by certain novices, and to survive in certain expressions, as il avait quitté les trousses, and être aux trousses de l’ennemi.
As to the ulterior history, Prof. Bergin of Dublin thinks well of the suggestion in Holder Alt-celt. Sprachsch., II. 1974, that the Celtic triubhas represents OF. trebus ‘sorte de chaussure ou de chausse’ (13th c., Godef.), from late L. tubrācōs ‘tubrucos vocatos quod tibias braccasque tegant’ (Isidore, Orig., XIX. xxii. 30). ‘Tubraci quod a braccis ad tibias usque perveniant,’ which appears later as tribraci.
Miège, F. Dict. (1679), has ‘Trousses, sorte de chausses, trunk-breeches.’]
1. Originally, A close-fitting article of attire for the buttocks and thighs (divided below so as to form a separate covering for each thigh), to the lower extremities of which stockings (when worn) were attached; spec. = TREWS. In later use drawers, or knee-breeches.
α. sing. 6 trowes, trwse, 7 trous, trouze, 7–8 trowze, 8 trowse, 6– trouse.
[1306. Pleas of Crown (Irel.) 34–5 Edw. I., m. 10 d. Vnum crannoc … vnus arcus cum sagittis … vna spartha (unum par) [so app.; MS. faint] s[o]tularium cum trues … precii vnius denarii et oboli.
c. 1500. in W. Stokes, Irish Glosses, Tract on L. Declen. (1860), 12. Hee brace gl. tribus.]
1578. in Sharp. Cov. Myst. 37. Pd. for a trwse for Judas ijs. viijd.
1581. Trowes [see TREWS].
1630. Conceits, Clinches, etc. (1860), 8. A jellous wife was like an Irish trouze, alwayes close to a mans tayle.
1633. Spenser’s State Irel., 48. The leather quilted Iacke … for any occasion of suddaine service,… to cover his trouse [Add. MS. thinn breeche] on horsebacke.
1676. Wiseman, Chirurg. Treat., I. xviii. 85. The Trowze being made, I saw it laced on…. The lower part of the Trowze was tacked to a Cotton Stocking he put on that Leg.
c. 1730. Burt, Lett. N. Scotl., xxii. (1818), II. 84. Few besides gentlemen wear the trowze, that is, the breeches and stockings all of one piece.
1746. Trowse [see TREWS].
1775. F. Gregor, trans. Fortescue De Laudibus, xxxv. 125. Nor do they [French common people] wear any Trowse, but from the Knees upwards; their Legs being exposed and naked.
1813. Jas. Grant, Orig. Gael (1814), 213. Strabo describes the clothing of the Gauls as consisting of … a sort of breeches, which covered the inferior members of the body, similar to the triumhas or trouse of the Gael.
1852. Meanderings of Mem., I. 86. The belted blouse Of velvet black, and closely-fitting trouse.
β. pl. 6–7 trouzes, 7 trousses, trooses, troosses, troozes, truzes, trusses, 7–8 trowzes, 7–9 trowses, 8 truses, 6– trouses.
1581. Derrick, Image Irel., I. E iij b. His skirtes be verie shorte, with pleates set thicke about, And Irishe trouzes more to put their straunge protractours out.
1586. D. Rowland, Lazarillo, II. (1672), T iv. A Gentleman-Usher with handsom Trouses, a neat Doublet, a good Cloak, and a comely bonnet.
1601. Holland, Pliny, VII. xliii. I. 177. In his youth he was a poore souldier, and served as a footman in his single trousses and grieves.
1612. R. Daborne, Chr. turned Turke, 1409. S’hart, a French slop, these are none of the Iewes trouses.
1622. Relat. Eng. Plantation, in Arber, Story Pilgrim Fathers (1897), 453. They had most of them long hosen up to their groins, close made; and above their groins to their waist, another leather. They were altogether like the Irish trouses.
1625. B. Jonson, Staple of N., I. i. Hee walks in his Gowne, wastcoate, and trouses, Expecting his Taylor.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 146. Their [Persians’] breeches are like Irish troozes, hose and stockings sowed together.
1673. Lond. Gaz., No. 807/4. A Cook,… in a sad coloured Stuff Coat and Trowses.
1741. in Scott. Hist. Rev., April (1905), 303. The prisoner was going to the field in truses, Contrary to orders.
1747. Carte, Hist. Eng., I. 20. The inhabitants of those provinces, who wore Braccæ, trowses striped and of various colours serving for both hose and breeches.
1834. Planché, Brit. Costume, 234. The close hose, fitting exactly to the limbs, in fact, the Norman chausses, were … revived [Henry VIII.] under the … name of trouses.
† 2. (pl.) = TROUSERS 2. Obs.
1679. V. Alsop, Melius Inquir., I. i. 60. The Papists … maliciously reproach the Scripture … when they call it … a Leaden Dagger, a pair of Seamans Trowzes, a movable Dyal.
1705. Elstob, in Hearne’s Collect., 30 Nov. (O.H.S.), I. 107. His trowzes wch with loops emboss’d he tyes.
1820. Acc. Coronation Geo. IV. The King’s Trowses.
3. Comb., as trouse-like a. or adv.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., Pref. Their colour’d thighs Trous-like being died black.
Hence † Troused a. Obs. rare–1, wearing the trouse (cf. kilted, plaided).
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xviii. 638. The trowzed Irish led by their uniust Tyrone.
