understocking

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From under- +‎ stocking.

understocking (plural understockings)

1. A stocking intended to be worn under another stocking.
   • 1948, New Mexico Historical Review, page 211:

     On the 1st of February of 1715 I received the dues of La Cañada, three bushels of wheat; eight sacks and a half of maize; some cotton-thread understockings worth 3 pesos, and two pairs of gloves;

   • 1982, Africana Notes and News, volume 25, page 163:

     As white understockings, which may easily have been completely hidden, also occur, it is possible that the well-dressed man often wore three pairs of stockings. Roelof de Man — always a standard of elegance in Cape terms — had twelve pairs of white understockings and fourteen pairs of overstockings, including examples in green Naples silk, pearl-coloured English silk, ash-grey wool (sajet), black English silk, red serge, and white linen. While Ensign Evriard runs him a close second with five pairs of white understockings and thirteen pairs of overstockings in a rather similar range of colours and materials.

   • 2003, Janny Venema, “The Van Rensselaers as commercial entrepreneurs”, in Beverwijck: A Dutch Village on the American Frontier, 1652–1664, Hilversum: Verloren; Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, →ISBN, section “Place in the community; Life style”, subsection “Outer appearance: Clothing”, page 215:

     He [Jeremias van Rensselaer] may have worn understockings to protect the outer pair from sweat and foot odors; in the 1650s, overstockings or ‘canons,’ which were widened and decorated at the top, better fitted the wider boots worn by men at this time.

• overstocking

understocking

1. present participle and gerund of understock