Floss, n. A body feather of an
ostrich. Flosses are soft, and gray from the female and black from the
male.
Floss (?; 195), n. [It. floscio
flabby, soft, fr. L. fluxus flowing, loose, slack. See
Flux, n.] 1. (Bot.)
The slender styles of the pistillate flowers of maize; also
called silk.
2. Untwisted filaments of silk, used in
embroidering.
Floss silk, silk that has been twisted, and
which retains its loose and downy character. It is much used in
embroidery. Called also floxed silk. -- Floss
thread, a kind of soft flaxen yarn or thread, used for
embroidery; -- called also linen floss, and floss
yarn. McElrath.
Floss, n. [Cf. G. floss a
float.] 1. A small stream of water.
[Eng.]
2. Fluid glass floating on iron in the
puddling furnace, produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths
which are present.
Floss hole. (a) A hole at
the back of a puddling furnace, at which the slags pass out.
(b) The tap hole of a melting furnace.
Knight.
Floss, n. A body feather of an
ostrich. Flosses are soft, and gray from the female and black from the
male.
