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 ye 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. . . .
- 1679 (1945) Resolved Upon Debate that all our Beavor both Coat and Parchment shall be exposed at the same time to Publique sale. . . .
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. . . .
- 1749 One Parchment Mouse [moose], & two Beavers.