[UNDER-1 5 a, c.]

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  1.  A coat worn beneath another. Also fig.

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1648.  Hexham, II. Een Onder-rock, an Vnder-coate.

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a. 1680.  Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 449. A Pettifogger is an under-Coat to the Long-robe, a kind of a coarse Jacket, or dirty daggled Skirt and Tail of the long-Robe.

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1683.  Lond. Gaz., No. 1797/4. In a new-fashion’d Campaign Coat of sad colour’d Frize,… his under-Coat of grey Stuff turned. Ibid. (1723), No. 6150/3. His Under-Coat of a fine light Colour.

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  † 2.  A woman’s underskirt; a petticoat. Obs.

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1741.  Richardson, Pamela (ed. 3), I. 50. I bought two Flanel Under-coats, not so good as my … fine Linen ones.

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1759.  Ann. Reg., Chron., 73/2. She was stript of all her cloaths to her shift and under-coat.

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1858.  H. Baird, Poet. Lett., Ser. I. 52 (Devon dial.)

        Now et wadd’n obsarv’d till et burn’n nearly droo
Nat uny hur gown bit hur undercoat too.

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  3.  The under layer of hair or down in certain long-haired animals.

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1840.  Dallas, Syst. Nat. Hist., II. 447. The hair [of the goat] covers an undercoat of fine soft woolly down.

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1884.  Field, 6 Dec. (Cassell’s). The dog looked fresh and well … though lacking undercoat.

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