Tucked

ppl. a. [f. TUCK v.¹ (and sb.¹) in various senses + -ED.]

  1.  Gathered or girded up, arranged in tucks or folds; † of a person: having the clothes girded up (obs.); shortened or ornamented with tucks; thrust or doubled in; poked in or away so as to be retained in position; enveloped, covered snugly up.

1530.  Palsgr., 327/2. Tucked up as ones clothes is, rebroucé.

1582.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 75. I knew theire tuckt-locks.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 30, ¶ 9. With blue and red Stockings in Morning; tuck’d Cravats, and Nightcap Wigs.

1727.  Swift, City Shower, 37. The tuck’d-up semstress walks with hasty strides.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xxii. The butcher … was distinguished by his tucked-up sleeves.

1883.  ‘Sylvia,’ Ladies’ Guide to Home Dressmaking & Millinery, xiii. 107 [List of under-linen]. 4 tucked flannel petticoats, coloured or white, [£]0 7 6.

1913.  Play Pictorial, No. 131. p. vi/1. A prettily tucked chemisette of soft French net.

  2.  Tucked up (of a dog or horse): having the flanks drawn in from hunger, malnutrition, or fatigue; hence, tired out, exhausted. Cf. TUCKER v., tuckered. slang and dial.

1845.  Youatt, Dog, ii. 18. They generally are very thin,… with sharp-pointed ears, deep chest, and tucked-up flanks.

1888.  Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., Tucked up, applied to animals, especially horses after hard riding—looking thin. Th’ old mare’s a bit a-tucked up.

1891.  Kipling, Light that Failed, iii. 43. ‘You’re looking tucked up,’ he concluded.

  b.  Said of a bell that is hung high in the stock.

1874.  Beckett, Clocks, Watches, etc. (ed. 6), 366. It is difficult to set a much tucked-up bell tolling, though easy to keep it up afterwards.

  c.  Hampered or cramped for lack of space, time, means, etc. colloq.

1887.  Bury & Hillier, Cycling, iv. 189. A closely built fifty-eight inch racer will be noticeably too short in the reach for him, and he will feel that he is what cyclists call ‘tucked up,’ ‘cramped,’ or ‘going short.’

1889.  N. W. Linc. Gloss., s.v., We’re terrible tucked up e’ this little hoose…. Oats is ripenin’ that fast we shall be tucked up for time to get ’em afoore thaay begins to shak.

1891.  Cent. Dict., s.v., At Billiards the player is said to be tucked-up when his ball lies close under the cushion.

  3.  Naut. (in combination): Having a tuck (TUCK sb.¹ 2) of a specified shape.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., s.v. Tuck, The fir frigates of 1812–14 had flat, square transoms similar to boats, or heart-shaped. Hence our square-tucked frigates, brigs, &c.