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A form of stitch, where the stitches are diagonal and in pairs, the thread of one stitch crossing that of the other. "Tent and cross- stitch." Sir W. Scott. -- Cross"-stitch`, v. t. & i.

To break into small pieces; to cause to fall in pieces. He with his bare wand can unthread thy joints, And crumble all thy sinews. Milton.

Linen so woven that a pattern in produced by the different directions of the thread, without contrast of color.

To mend as a rent or hole, with interlacing stitches of yarn or thread by means of a needle; to sew together with yarn or thread. He spent every day ten hours in his closet, in darning his stockins. Swift. Darning last. See under Last. -- Darning needle. (a) A long, strong needle for mending holes or rents, especially…

smoothness; tenderness; and hence, frailty or weakness; as, the delicacy of a fiber or a thread; delicacy of a hand or of the human form; delicacy of the skin; delicacy of frame.

Fine or slender; minute; not coarse; -- said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton.

Full of devices; inventive. [R.] A carpet, rich, and of deviceful thread. Chapman.

A hollow internally threaded screw-cutting tool, made in one piece or composed of several parts, for forming screw threads on bolts, etc.; one of the separate parts which make up such a tool. Cutting die (Mech.), a thin, deep steel frame, sharpened to a cutting edge, for cutting out articles from leather, cloth, paper,…

The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. I will the distaff hold; come thou and spin. Fairfax.

A sailor's small bag to hold thread, needles, tape, etc.; -- also called sailor's housewife.

A small box to hold a sailor's thread, needless, comb, etc.

An apparatus resembling a Jacquard for weaving small figures (usually about 12 - 16 threads, seldom more than 36 - 40 threads).

A plant of the genus Cuscuta. It is a leafless parasitical vine with yellowish threadlike stems. It attaches itself to some other plant, as to flax, goldenrod, etc., and decaying at the root. is nourished by the plant that supports it.

awn fox, one driven from cover. Shak. -- Drawn work, ornamental work made by drawing out threads from fine cloth, and uniting the cross threads, to form a pattern.

Same as Drilling. Imperial drill, a linen fabric having two threads in the warp and three in the filling.

The larva of any geometrid moth, which drops from trees by means of a thread of silk, as the cankerworm.

ow lace made originally in Belgium and resembling Honiton guipure. It is worked with fine thread in large sprays, usually of the primrose pattern, with much raised work.

Capable of being elongated or drawn out, as into wire or threads. Gold . . . is the softest and most ductile of all metals. Dryden. -- Duc"tile*ly, adv. -- Duc"tile*ness, n.

The slender, hollow thread of a nettling cell or cnida. See Nettling cell. [Written also ecthoræum.]

To unwind, as a thread from a ball. [R.]