Search the Dictionary

A soft, effeminate person; a voluptuary. [R.] Bp. Woolton. .

things having different qualities; as, to sort cloths according to their colors; to sort wool or thread according to its fineness. Rays which differ in refrangibility may be parted and sorted from one another. Sir I. Newton.

ills south of the Thames, in England. Southdown sheep (Zoöl.), a celebrated breed of shortwooled, hornless sheep, highly valued on account of the delicacy of their flesh. So called from the South Downs where the breed originated.

To draw out, and twist into threads, either by the hand or machinery; as, to spin wool, cotton, or flax; to spin goat's hair; to produce by drawing out and twisting a fibrous material. All the yarn she [Penelope] spun in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. Shak.

being employed in spinning. -- Spinning jenny (Mach.), an engine or machine for spinning wool or cotton, by means of a large number of spindles revolving simultaneously. -- Spinning mite (Zoöl.), the red spider. -- Spinning wheel, a machine for spinning yarn or thread, in which a wheel drives a single spindle, and i…

non after a discharge. It consists of a cylinder of wood, covered with sheepskin with the wool on, or cloth with a heavy looped nap, and having a handle, or staff.

ordeum murinum) related to barley. In California the stiffly awned spiklets work into the wool of sheep, and into the throat, flesh, and eyes of animals, sometimes even producing death. -- Squirrel hake (Zoöl.), a common American hake (Phycis tenuis); -- called also white hake. -- Squirrel hawk (Zoöl.), any rough-leg…

A kind of woolen cloth. [Written also stamine.] [Obs.]

A kind of woolen cloth formerly in use. It seems to have been often of a red color. [Obs.]

worthy burgesses of Woodstock, her majesty was minded to erect the town into a staple for wool. Sir W. Scott.

One employed to assort wool according to its staple.

tatute book, a record of laws or legislative acts. Blackstone. -- Statute cap, a kind of woolen cap; -- so called because enjoined to be worn by a statute, dated in 1571, in behalf of the trade of cappers. [Obs.] Halliwell. -- Statute fair. See Statute, n., 3, above. -- Statute labor, a definite amount of labor requ…

A kind of hairy wool. [Prov.]

l not made into garments; fabric of any kind; specifically, any one of various fabrics of wool or worsted; sometimes, worsted fiber. What stuff wilt have a kirtle of Shak. It [the arras] was of stuff and silk mixed, though, superior kinds were of silk exclusively. F. G. Lee.

A peculiar substance obtained from the wool of sheep, consisting largely of potash mixed with fatty and earthy matters. It is used as a source of potash and also for the manufacture of gas.

A fine, soft, thick cloth of wool mixed with silk or cotton; a sort of twilled fustian, like moleskin. Swan's-down cotton. See Cotton flannel, under Cotton.

A woolen jacket or jersey worn by athletes.

An entangled lock, as of hair or wool. Nares.

Adhesion of the tail of a sheep to the wool from excoriation produced by contact with the feces; -- called also tagbelt. [Obs.]

A kind of Scotch cap of wool, worsted, or the like, having a round, flattish top much wider than the band which fits the head, and usually having a tassel in the center.