Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHIRT, n. [shurt; Dan. skiorte, Sw. skiorta, a shirt; Dan. skiort, a petticoat; Ice. scyrta. This word seems to be named from its shortness or cutting off, and might have signified originally a somewhat different garment shortened; Sax. scyrt, short, L. curtus.]

A loose garment of linen, cotton or other material, worn by men and boys next the body. It is folly for a nation to export beef and linen, while a great part of the people are obliged to subsist on potatoes, and have no shirts to wear. – A. M.