subs. (thieves’).—A shirt chemise, or ‘shimmy.’ [From the Spanish camisa, or Italian camicia.] The word appears in various forms from the beginning of the seventeenth century, e.g., ‘camisa,’ ‘camiscia’ ‘kemesa,’ ‘camise,’ and in a more genuinely English dress as ‘COMMISSION’ (q.v.), which in turn is shortened into MISH (q.v.). For synonyms, see FLESH-BAG.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew. CAMESA: a shirt or shift.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. CAMESA, (cant, Spanish) a shirt or shift.
1812. BYRON, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, II., Tambourgi, ii.
| Oh! who is more brave than a dark Suliote, | |
| In his snowy CAMESE and his shaggy capote? |
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, bk. iii., ch. v. With my fawnied famms, and my onions gay, my thimble of ridge, and my driz (laced) KEMESA.
