释义 |
B.V.D. Chiefly U.S.|biːviːˈdiː| Also beeveedee, BVD. [Acronym f. the initial letters of the name of its manufacturers, Bradley, Voorhees & Day: the widely-held belief that B.V.D. stood for ‘babies' ventilated diapers’ is mistaken.] A proprietary name for a type of lightweight, long underwear for men, popular in the first half of the twentieth century. Usu. in pl. Also fig.
1893Official Gaz. (U.S. Patent Office) 6 June 1528/1 Suspenders, belts, shirts, and drawers. Lyman H. Day. New York... B.V.D... Used since September 1, 1876. 1906Ibid. 2 Jan. 308/2 Undershirts and underdrawers. Erlanger Bros., New York... B.V.D. 1908Sat. Even. Post 4 July 1/1 All B.V.D. Garments are made of thoroughly tested woven materials selected for their cooling and wearing qualities. 1923Trade Marks Jrnl. 13 June 1230 B.V.D... Shirts, Drawers for Wear, Sleeping Garments and Union Suits for Men and Women. The B.V.D. Company Incorporated..519, West Pratt Street, Baltimore..Maryland, United States..Manufacturers. 1935J. T. Farrell Judgment Day xiv. 305 Studs entered the parlor, wearing old trousers over his B.V.D.'s. 1947Sooner Mag. Nov. 14/1 The ‘frosh’ started a ‘back to nature’ movement but compromised on ‘beeveedees’. 1953R. Mais Hills were Joyful Together i. x. 82 Surjue sat in his BVD's, shuffled the worn pack of playing cards. 1959Tamarack Rev. xii. 22 The most brilliant lawyer and financier in Montreal getting trimmed down to his BVD's by a couple of snot-nosed kids! 1977H. Fast Immigrants iii. 189 His BVDs were the most ridiculous garment ever invented. |