Thread (thr&ebreve;d), n. [OE. threed,
þred, AS. þr&aemacr;d; akin to D. draad,
G. draht wire, thread, OHG. drāt, Icel.
þrāðr a thread, Sw. tråd, Dan.
traad, and AS. þrāwan to twist. See Throw,
and cf. Third.] 1. A very small twist of flax,
wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable
length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or
joined together, and twisted.
2. A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous
substance, as of bark; also, a line of gold or silver.
3. The prominent part of the spiral of a screw or
nut; the rib. See Screw, n., 1.
4. Fig.: Something continued in a long course or
tenor; a,s the thread of life, or of a discourse. Bp.
Burnet.
5. Fig.: Composition; quality; fineness.
[Obs.]
A neat courtier,
Of a most elegant thread.
B. Jonson.
Air thread, the fine white filaments which are
seen floating in the air in summer, the production of spiders;
gossamer. -- Thread and thrum, the good and bad
together. [Obs.] Shak. -- Thread cell
(Zoöl.), a lasso cell. See under Lasso. --
Thread herring (Zoöl.), the gizzard shad.
See under Gizzard. -- Thread lace, lace
made of linen thread. -- Thread needle, a game
in which children stand in a row, joining hands, and in which the outer
one, still holding his neighbor, runs between the others; -- called also
thread the needle.
Thread, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Threaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Threading.]
1. To pass a thread through the eye of; as, to
thread a needle.
2. To pass or pierce through as a narrow way; also,
to effect or make, as one's way, through or between obstacles; to
thrid.
Heavy trading ships . . . threading the
Bosphorus.
Mitford.
They would not thread the gates.
Shak.
3. To form a thread, or spiral rib, on or in; as,
to thread a screw or nut.
Thread (thr&ebreve;d), n. [OE. threed,
þred, AS. þr&aemacr;d; akin to D. draad,
G. draht wire, thread, OHG. drāt, Icel.
þrāðr a thread, Sw. tråd, Dan.
traad, and AS. þrāwan to twist. See Throw,
and cf. Third.] 1. A very small twist of flax,
wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable
length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or
joined together, and twisted.
2. A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous
substance, as of bark; also, a line of gold or silver.
3. The prominent part of the spiral of a screw or
nut; the rib. See Screw, n., 1.
4. Fig.: Something continued in a long course or
tenor; a,s the thread of life, or of a discourse. Bp.
Burnet.
5. Fig.: Composition; quality; fineness.
[Obs.]
A neat courtier,
Of a most elegant thread.
B. Jonson.
Air thread, the fine white filaments which are
seen floating in the air in summer, the production of spiders;
gossamer. -- Thread and thrum, the good and bad
together. [Obs.] Shak. -- Thread cell
(Zoöl.), a lasso cell. See under Lasso. --
Thread herring (Zoöl.), the gizzard shad.
See under Gizzard. -- Thread lace, lace
made of linen thread. -- Thread needle, a game
in which children stand in a row, joining hands, and in which the outer
one, still holding his neighbor, runs between the others; -- called also
thread the needle.
Thread, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Threaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Threading.]
1. To pass a thread through the eye of; as, to
thread a needle.
2. To pass or pierce through as a narrow way; also,
to effect or make, as one's way, through or between obstacles; to
thrid.
Heavy trading ships . . . threading the
Bosphorus.
Mitford.
They would not thread the gates.
Shak.
3. To form a thread, or spiral rib, on or in; as,
to thread a screw or nut.
