Oh, belated comments are just fine -- please feel free to leave any that suit you, as they show up in my e-mail.
It's interesting that you use hose in the sense of trousers (like lederhosen, I wonder?) I've never encountered that usage in English or American books, but I'm pleased to take your word for it. The Encarta came up with "clothes history tight-fitting trousers: a garment formerly worn by men, fitting closely to the legs and attaching to a doublet", but those weren't what we think of as trousers, exactly. Much more like pantyhose. And again, they went to the feet. (also "clothes leg covering: a skintight leg covering such as stockings or socks")
Hosiery is given as "socks and stockings: socks, stockings, pantyhose, and tights, considered collectively".
Cambridge University's dictionary also mentions socks and stockings. I did find one dictionary that defined hose as only going down to the knee, but the next definition was the stocking knees to toes of my experience.
What's the best UK online dictionary, do you think?
Re: Hose
It's interesting that you use hose in the sense of trousers (like lederhosen, I wonder?) I've never encountered that usage in English or American books, but I'm pleased to take your word for it. The Encarta came up with "clothes history tight-fitting trousers: a garment formerly worn by men, fitting closely to the legs and attaching to a doublet", but those weren't what we think of as trousers, exactly. Much more like pantyhose. And again, they went to the feet. (also "clothes leg covering: a skintight leg covering such as stockings or socks")
Hosiery is given as "socks and stockings: socks, stockings, pantyhose, and tights, considered collectively".
Cambridge University's dictionary also mentions socks and stockings. I did find one dictionary that defined hose as only going down to the knee, but the next definition was the stocking knees to toes of my experience.
What's the best UK online dictionary, do you think?