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Webster 1913 Edition

Sleave

Sleave

(slēv)
,
Noun.
[Cf. Dan.
slöif
, a knot loop, Sw.
slejf
, G.
schleife
a knot, sliding knot, and E.
slip
, v.i.]
(a)
The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread.
(b)
Silk not yet twisted; floss; – called also
sleave silk
.
Sleep that knits up the ravell’d
sleave
of care.
Shakespeare

Sleave

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sleaved
(slēvd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Sleaving
.]
To separate, as threads; to divide, as a collection of threads; to sley; – a weaver's term.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sleave

SLEAVE

,
Noun.
The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread; silk or thread untwisted.

SLEAVE

,
Verb.
T.
To separate threads; or to divide a collection of threads; to sley; a word used by weavers.

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