Talk:swatch

Etymology

I can't work out the derivation of the word. At first I thought it might be an abbreviation of "sample watch" or similar, but the origin appears to be from Northumberland and Scotland (first recorded use in 1512, quoted in the Northumberland Household Book of 1770) where a swache was a tally fixed to a cloth before it went to be dyed. Dbfirs 12:29, 6 February 2008 (UTC)

"Samples bound together" sense

@Saltmarsh: regarding this edit – can you provide some quotations to verify it? — SMUconlaw (talk) 21:26, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

@SMUconlaw No - but it is to be found in the OED and Collins - and from personal hearing. — Saltmarsh. 05:45, 5 March 2017 (UTC)

OK; I hadn't personally heard this sense before. It would be good to add some quotations if we can find any. — SMUconlaw (talk) 06:10, 5 March 2017 (UTC)