| 释义 |
swan's-down, swansdown|ˈswɒnzdaʊn|
Also swandown.
[Cf. G. schwanendaune, Sw. svandun, Da. svanedun.]
1. The down or soft under-plumage of the swan, used for dress-trimmings, powder-puffs, etc.
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. ii. 48 The Swannes downe feather That stands vpon the Swell at the full of Tide: And neither way inclines. 1807–26S. Cooper First Lines Surg. (ed. 5) 208 To keep the swelling covered with a piece of swan's-down, or rabbit's skin. 1835Court Mag. VI. p. xiv/2 Others have, in addition to the knots, a row of swansdown on each side of the front. 1855Longfellow Hiaw. xvi. 193 With his plumes and tufts of swan's-down. 1891Doyle White Company xxiii, Swathed in swan's-down and in ermine.
2. a. A soft thick close woollen cloth. b. A thick cotton cloth with a nap on one side, also called Canton or cotton flannel.
1801Sporting Mag. XVII. 177 The blankets of the finest swansdown. 1824Scott St. Ronan's xv, If a gold-laced waistcoat has an empty pouch, the plain swan's-down will be the brawer of the twa. 1877J. W. Hayes Draper & Haberdasher (ed. 4) 97 Swansdown is a loose thick make of white and unbleached calico, with a raised surface, like blankets. 1883Simmonds Dict. Trade Suppl., Swandown, a kind of twilled fustian, like moleskin.
3. attrib. (in sense 1 or 2).
1798Hull Advertiser 13 Oct. 2/2 Swansdown stocks. 1803Censor 1 Apr. 46 A common swandown waistcoat. 1858Simmonds Dict. Trade s.v. Swan, Their skins enter into commerce for swans'-down trimmings. 1867Ure Dict. Arts etc. III. 858, 500,000 puffs, made annually from about 7000 swans' down skins, imported into Britain. 1877M. M. Grant Sun-maid vii, He wrapped her in her swansdown mantle. 1885Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 829/2 It is filtered through chamois leather or swansdown calico.
fig.1880Mrs. E. Lynn Linton Rebel of Family ii. (1901) 21 Her soft swan's-down kind of nature soothed him. |