houndstooth en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
- /ˈhaʊndstuːθ/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From hound + -s- + tooth, from its appearance. Although the pattern itself is archaeologically found from time immemorial, the modern term is first attested in 1936.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) A two-colour fabric pattern of broken checks.
Sophisticated houndstooth checks highlight a toddler's jacket and hat.
2004, Lois S. Young, “Houndstooth Toddler Set”, in Jeanne Stauffer, editor, Knitting in the Round, Berne, Ind.: House of White Birches, →ISBN, page 56:Other patterns include varied adaptations of paisleys, Tree of Life motifs, tiles, scenics, patchworks, ticking, soft-edge geometries, sports themes, crewel shapes, houndsteeth, and a plethora of florals.
1974, Interior Design, volume 45, New York, N.Y.: Interior Design Division of Whitney Communication Corp., →OCLC, page 251, column 1:A houndstooth fabric is composed of tiny, interlocking pinwheel motifs. There are many houndstooth knitting patterns[…]; to add an extra touch to these patterns, work them in nubby or textured yarns.
1998, Deborah Newton, “Dressmaker Details & Finishing”, in Designing Knitwear, Newtown, Ct.: Taunton Press, →ISBN, page 210:
-
(countable, uncountable) Fabric with a houndstooth pattern; an item of clothing made with such fabric.
Their ties were tidier, their houndsteeth toothier … they ended up looking more Windsorian than Windsor.
1970, Men's Wear, volume 161, New York, N.Y.: Fairchild Publications, →OCLC, page 73, column 1:Her dress is wool too, brown and black houndsteeth that belonged to her mother.
2014, Jacinda Townsend, “Jupiter”, in Saint Monkey: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: W. W. Norton & Company, →ISBN, page 68:
- (countable, uncountable) Hound's tongue, a plant of species Cynoglossum officinale
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| houndsteeth | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
dogstooth · pied-de-poule · dog's tooth
Translations (10)
pl pepitka (fabric pattern) · bg пипит (fabric pattern) · fi kukonaskel (fabric pattern) · fr pied-de-poule (fabric pattern) · de Hahnentritt (fabric pattern) · ja 千鳥柄 (fabric pattern) · ja 千鳥格子 (fabric pattern) · mk пепито (fabric pattern) · es pata de gallo (fabric pattern) · ca pota de gall (fabric pattern)