subs. (old).—1. A tailor: see TRADES (B. E. and GROSE).
2. (common).—Clothing: e.g., ‘not a dry STITCH about her.’
1888. The Field, 4 April. With every STITCH of clothing wet, and no facilities for drying them.
PHRASES.—TO GO THROUGH STITCH = to accomplish, to bring to a finish; TO GO A GOOD STITCH = to go a good way; STOP STITCH WHILE I PUT A NEEDLE IN = a proverbial phrase applied to any one when one wishes him to do anything more slowly (HALLIWELL).
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Passe, partout, a resolute fellow, one that GOES THROUGH-STITCH with every thing hee undertakes, one whose courses no danger can stop, no difficultie stay.
1631. CHETTLE, Hoffman, iii. 2. Now wee are in, wee must GOE THROUGH STITCH.
1653. URQUHART, Rabelais, I. xlvii. And in regard of the main point that they should never be able to GO THROUGH STITCH with that war.
1677. E. COLES, English Dictionary. TO GO THOROW-STITCH with the work, opus perage.
1678. COTTON, Scarronides, or, Virgil Travestie (1770), 91.
| Who means to conquer Italy, | |
| Must with his Work GO THOROUGH STITCHES, | |
| And not run hunting after Bitches. |
1684. BUNYAN, Pilgrim’s Progress, ii. 148. I promise you, said he, you have GONE A GOOD STITCH: you may well be aweary; sit down.
