church clothesn.

a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 163 Ðe chirecloðes [perh. read chireche cloðes] ben to brokene, and ealde.

1432 Bridgewater Borough Munim. 13 (MED) To þe Lauender for wessche þe churche clothys, ij s.

1454–5 in Trans. Bristol & Gloucs. Archaeol. Soc. 1890–1 (1891) 15 159 For wasshyng of the churche cloths viij^d.

1534 Kirton-in-Lindsey Churchwardens' Accts. in E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincs. (1889) at Like Paid wytsonday for ij ponde sope for weching cherche clothes iij d.

1585 in J. Barmby Churchwardens' Accts. Pittington (1888) 20 Washinge the churche clothes, vd.

1650 in P. Crawford Women & Relig. in Eng. 1500–1720 (1993) 228 To Goodwife Browne for mending of the church Cloaths.

1702 L'Estrange's Visions of Dom Fransico de Quevedo iii. 92 A trick he'd too, to save his Pelf, Out of Church-cloaths to cloath himself.

1791 J. Collinson Hist. & Antiq. Somerset 306 The vicar..to have the church clothes cleaned at his own expence.

1834 T. Carlyle Sartor Resartus iii. ii, in Fraser's Mag. June 667/1 Meanwhile, in our era of the World, those same Church Clothes have gone sorrowfully out at elbows.

1875 Evangelical Mag. Mar. 133 We might well leave the subject of ministerial tailoring to be discussed by clerical outfitters, were it not that Church clothes are intended to signify that the rights of man are to be denied.

1917 T. Hughes Hist. Soc. of Jesus in N. Amer. ix. 109 It was all pure secularism, alternately in church clothes and in lay dress.

2009 H. Boonstra tr. A. Kuyper Our Worship x. 63 Clerical clothing has been fashioned in many colours. But it is noteworthy that the early Christians, if they did wear ‘church clothes’, chose the color white.

1868 Contemp. Rev. May–Aug. 450 Clement of Alexandria complains that they [sc. Christians] put off their church-thoughts with their church-clothes.

1910 Outlook 7 May 27/2 They wear a certain sort of clothes, known as ‘church clothes’, which represent a sort of hedging compromise between their morning and their afternoon wear.

1980 M. Robinson Housekeeping vii. 141 The next morning Miss Royce, in her church clothes, knocked at the door.

2009 Daily Gleaner (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 30 Mar. c1 On these particular evenings we would get dressed in our church clothes and drive into town.