Budge-Work
/ˈbʌdʒˌwɜːrk/noun
An obsolete type of decorative work made with or resembling budge, the dressed fur or woolly skin of a lamb.
Did you know?Budge was prestigious enough to trim the robes of English university officials and legal or civic dignitaries, turning lambskin into a visible badge of status.
Etymological Timeline
Late Antiquity
Latin
bulga
“A leather bag or pouch; probably borrowed from a Celtic source.”
Old French
Old French
bouge
“A leather bag, pouch, or skin container.”
Middle English
Middle English
bouge / budge
“Lambskin or the woolly skin of a lamb, especially when used as fur or trimming.”
16th Century
English
budge
“Lambskin fur used for clothing, robes, and ceremonial dress.”
16th–17th Century
English
budge-work
“Decorative work made from, or given the shaggy appearance of, budge.”
Modern English
English
budge-work
“A historical or obsolete term for ornamentation involving budge material.”