DCHP-1 Online

parchment Hist.

• 1 n. See 1957 quote at parchment beaver.

  See also: parchment beaver  

  • 1679  (1945)  Resolved Upon Debate that all our Beavor both Coat and Parchment shall be exposed at the same time to Publique sale. . . .
  • 1697  (1929)  Received some goods into y^e trading room &c told into the warehouse 38 coat beaver 26 half and 12 whole parchment.
  • 1958  This was the castor sec, the dry beaver or "parchment" which normally came in great quantities from Canada. . . .

• 2 n. an animal hide that has been dehaired, stretched, and dried, used for making such things as babiche, window panes, packstraps, and pemmican bags.

  See also: parchment skin  parfleche (def. 1)  skin (def. 2)  

  • 1749  One Parchment Mouse [moose], & two Beavers.
  • 1819  (1939)  The windows for want of parchment were covered by damaged bale cloths.
  • 1872  (1883)  During five days our course lay through vast expanses of stiff frozen reeds, whose corn-like stalks rattled harshly against the parchment sides of the cariole. . . .
  • 1952  The sale of dressed moose and caribou hides, parchment, babiche, deer sinews and moccasins also helped. . . .