Obs. Also 4 tywele, twyle, 7 twylle; 5 twelye, 6 twyley, 7 twylly(e. [OE. twili (= OHG. zwilîh), formed after L. bilix from twi- TWI-: cf. THRILI a. The ME. var. twile is parallel to thrile, the reduced form of thrili, and is the source of the northern TWILL sb.1] a. adj. Twilled. b. sb. A twilled cloth. Also attrib.
c. 875. Erfurt Gloss. (Sweet), 1151. Biplex, duplex, tuili.
a. 900. Leiden Gloss., 157. Bilex, t[u]ili.
1310. Acc. Exors. of Bp. of Exeter (1874), 4. j capa de samitrico tywele linita sindone yndico.
1375. in Boys, Hist. Sandwich (1792), 556/2. De chescun twylecloth de la lb. … ij d.
1440. in G. P. Scrope, Castle Combe (1852), 230. ij. borde cloths, one of twelye.
1552. Berksh. Ch. Goods (1879), 11. One other Coope lyke unto twillye the border of woursted.
1560. Will of Salmon (Somerset Ho.). A Twyley cloth to lay upon her bed.
1600. Holland, Livy, VII. xiv. 258. The mules sumpters should bee taken off their backes, leaving onely two course twillies or coverings upon them. Ibid. (1601), Pliny, IX. lix. I. 269. His companion … latcheth them in a course twillie or couering.
1602. Inv., in Collect. Archæol. (1863), II. 98. Twyllye canvasses. Ibid. One twylle. Ibid., 101. A doble twyllye.
1631. Patent Specif., No. 54. 2. All such kersy seves, otherwise twilly seves or haire seves.
1714. Fr. Bk. of Rates, 152. Four Livres … for every Piece of Boucassines, Twillis, Fustians, Bazins, and Bombasins.
