"Normandy" - Word of the Day from the OED

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Normandy, n.

DRAFT REVISION Sept. 2009

Brit. /nmndi/, U.S. /nrmndi/  Forms: ME Normandi, ME- Normandy, 15 Normandie, 15 Normandye, 15 Normundy. [< the name of Normandie, a region of northern France.
  The name is attested in Old English from the mid 11th cent. as Normandig (also Normandi, Normandie).] 

    I. Compounds.

    1. attrib.

    a. gen. Designating things made in, situated in, or associated with Normandy.

1463 in T. H. Turner Manners & Househ. Expenses Eng. (1841) 215 Item, ffor vj Normandy byllys, the same day, xvj s. vj d. 1471 in W. H. Stevenson Rec. Borough Nottingham (1883) II. 280 Armis, scilicet gladiis, daggariis, gleivis, Normandibilles, [etc.]. 1497 in J. Nichols Illustr. Antient Times Eng. (1797) 102 For 6 ells of Normandy clothe for the clark's surplice, and for whitning the same, 0 3 3. 1507 in J. Gage Suffolk 143 Setting vp of white Normandy glas, oon rowe of quarrells white. 1554 in Hereford Munic. MSS (transcript) 450 Normandye Canvas, a pece of Red Clothe. 1564 in Southampton Probate Inventories (1992) I. 214 j elle quar^t of Normandie canvas at x, xij d. 1709 London Gaz. No. 4538/4, 60 Cases of White Normandy Window-Glass. 1868 R. F. WILLIAMS Lives Eng. Cardinals II. 261 Hugh Vaughan sends him [sc. Wolsey] a parcel of Normandy cloth. 1957 G. D. RAMSAY Eng. Overseas Trade 76 Other re-exports from London included Normandy canvas, Holland cloth and Polish linen. 1972 Econ. Hist. Rev. 25 423 The Oxford figure for 1601-4 is inflated by a consignment in 1604 which Thorold Rogers notes as indicating Normandy glass.

    b. Normandy butter n. butter made in Normandy.

1868 S. SMILES Life G. Stephenson Pref. p. xxii, The greater cleanness and neatness with which the Normandy butter is prepared for market rendering it a favorite both with dealers and consumes of late years. 1875 Grocer 31 July p. iv (advt.) Normandy butter. 1962 L. DEIGHTON Ipcress File ii. 19, I..bought..some Normandy butter and garlic sausage. 1975 R. BUTLER Where all Girls are Sweeter i. 5 There was still a slab of Sainsbury's Normandy butter. 2000 A. BOURDAIN Kitchen Confid. (2001) 197 The man would have me mount all my sauces with Normandy butter and foie gras.

    c. Normandy vellum n. a strong handmade paper designed to imitate the qualities of parchment. rare.

1935 S. BECKETT Echo's Bones (end matter), This edition is limited to 327 copies of which 25 on Normandy vellum signed by the author are numbered I to xxv. 1968 Amer. N. & Q. 6 158/1 There were only 212 copies [of the magazine Pages] of which 12..are on Normandy vellum.

    2. attrib. Designating or relating to the Allied invasion of occupied France that began on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with beach landings in Normandy. Esp. in Normandy beaches, Normandy landings.

1944 Daily Tel. 9 June 1/5 The radio stations are doing everything to minimise the importance of the Normandy landing. 1944 Amer. N. & Q. Sept. 84/2 The behind-German-lines base established by Allied gliders during the Normandy invasion. 1950 Packaging & Display Encycl. (ed. 2) 382/1 (caption) A case returned by the War Office..after nine months on the Normandy Beaches. 1963 Amer. Hist. Rev. 68 932 [Operation Anvil] was eventually carried out on August 15, after the Normandy landings and after the Germans had been pushed back to northern Italy. 1991 B. MILLIN Invasion (BNC) 145 You can stay with the Brigade as Piper until we return to England at the close of the Normandy campaign. 1994 New Scientist 23 July 42/1 Lord Mountbatten's Combined Operations organisation..was responsible for planning the technological aspects of the Normandy invasion. 1996 Times (Electronic ed.) 7 June, Detectives investigating an alleged ‘road rage’ attack on a Normandy veteran have been unable to find any witnesses.

    II. Simple uses.

    3. Cloth from Normandy. Obs.

1529 in Essex Rev. (1912) 21 150 Xiii. ells of hollan clothe at viid. the ell, and xvi ells of whytyd normundy at vid. the ell. 1667 Probate Inventory in M. Reed Bucks. Probate Inventories (Bucks. Rec. Soc.) (1988) 31, 3 Normandy 22d. 0. 5. 6.

    4. Normandy butter. rare.

1973 Guardian 26 Jan. 9/1 ‘Butter is half the price here, even French butter,’ she said, packing pounds of best cream Normandy into her shopping trolley.

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