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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread a bit of brit #165697 02/05/2007 11:52 AM Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1 camilla stranger camilla stranger Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1 A news story last week described Camilla, of Charles and Camilla, as looking a bit "linsey-woolsey." Can anyone help me with the origin of that perfect bit of description? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: a bit of brit #165698 02/05/2007 12:10 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass Orig. a textile material, woven from a mixture of wool and flax; now, a dress material of coarse inferior wool, woven upon a cotton warp. (i.e., a mixture of linen and wool) figuritively, a strange medley in talk or action; confusion, nonsense. What linsie wolsy hast thou to speake to us againe. - All's Well, WS Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: a bit of brit #165699 02/05/2007 12:33 PM Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 5,400 rego park of troy Carpal Tunnel of troy Carpal Tunnel Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 5,400 rego park curiously, jewish law prohibbits it! It is considered wrong to mix fibers in this way! linsey woolsy was often used for things like bench covers (on wagon cushions, or other outdoor/rough places.) my other obsession Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: a bit of brit #165700 02/05/2007 12:53 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass see Quinion for a comment on the Shakespearean use! Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: a bit of brit #165701 02/05/2007 3:17 PM Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,773 Apple Valley, CA, USA dalehileman Pooh-Bah dalehileman Pooh-Bah Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,773 Apple Valley, CA, USA My immediate conjecture: By semantic drift, this ought to mean also ambiguous or befuddled, after the pols Linsey or Lidsey, and after woolly thinking: fuzzy; unclear; disorganized (see also tsu's link above) Anyone else have this reaction dalehileman Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: a bit of brit #165702 02/05/2007 6:59 PM Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando ParkinT enthusiast ParkinT enthusiast Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando Quote: curiously, jewish law prohibbits it! It is considered wrong to mix fibers in this way! linsey woolsy was often used for things like bench covers (on wagon cushions, or other outdoor/rough places.) Yes, according to the bible, one of the laws God handed to Moses was about mixing different types of clothing (along with instruction about marrying your daughter-in-law, wearing tatoos and shaving your beard). It is in Leviticus around chapter 20-21 Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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