tawdry lace

noun

obsolete

: a woman's tie of lace worn about the neck

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier St. Audrey's lace, after St. Audrey (Etheldreda or Æthelthrȳth) †679 queen of Northumbria who founded an abbey at Ely; from the tradition that she died of a throat tumor inflicted as a punishment for her fondness for necklaces

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