Farthingale

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Farthingale \Far"thin*gale\, n. [OE. vardingale, fardingale, fr.
     OF. vertugale, verdugade, F. vertugade, vertugadin, from Sp.
     verdugado, being named from its hoops, fr. verdugo a young
     shoot of tree, fr. verde green, fr. L. viridis. See
     {Verdant}.]
     A hoop skirt or hoop petticoat, or other light, elastic


     material, used to extend the petticoat.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           We'll revel it as bravely as the best, . . .
           With ruffs and cuffs, and farthingales and things.
                                                    --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  farthingale
       n : a hoop worn beneath a skirt to extend it horizontally; worn
           by European women in the 16th and 17th centuries