4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Flax  \Flax\,  n.  [AS.  fleax;  akin  to  D.  vlas,  OHG.  flahs,  G. 
  flachs  and  prob.  to  flechten  to  braid,  plait,m  twist,  L. 
  plectere  to  weave,  plicare  to  fold,  Gr  ?  to  weave,  plait. 
  See  {Ply}.] 
  1.  (Bot.)  A  plant  of  the  genus  {Linum},  esp.  the  {L. 
  usitatissimum},  which  has  a  single,  slender  stalk,  about  a 
  foot  and  a  half  high,  with  blue  flowers.  The  fiber  of  the 
  bark  is  used  for  making  thread  and  cloth,  called  linen, 
  cambric,  lawn,  lace,  etc  Linseed  oil  is  expressed  from 
  the  seed. 
 
  2.  The  skin  or  fibrous  part  of  the  flax  plant,  when  broken 
  and  cleaned  by  hatcheling  or  combing. 
 
  {Earth  flax}  (Min.),  amianthus. 
 
  {Flax  brake},  a  machine  for  removing  the  woody  portion  of 
  flax  from  the  fibrous. 
 
  {Flax  comb},  a  hatchel,  hackle,  or  heckle. 
 
  {Flax  cotton},  the  fiber  of  flax,  reduced  by  steeping  in 
  bicarbinate  of  soda  and  acidulated  liquids,  and  prepared 
  for  bleaching  and  spinning  like  cotton.  --Knight. 
 
  {Flax  dresser},  one  who  breaks  and  swingles  flax,  or  prepares 
  it  for  the  spinner. 
 
  {Flax  mill},  a  mill  or  factory  where  flax  is  spun  or  linen 
  manufactured. 
 
  {Flax  puller},  a  machine  for  pulling  flax  plants  in  the 
  field. 
 
  {Flax  wench}. 
  a  A  woman  who  spins  flax.  [Obs.] 
  b  A  prostitute.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  {Mountain  flax}  (Min.),  amianthus. 
 
  {New  Zealand  flax}  (Bot.)  See  {Flax-plant}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Fossil  \Fos"sil\,  a.  [L.  fossilis,  fr  fodere  to  dig:  cf  F. 
  fossile.  See  {Fosse}.] 
  1.  Dug  out  of  the  earth;  as  fossil  coal;  fossil  salt. 
 
  2.  (Paleon.)  Like  or  pertaining  to  fossils;  contained  in 
  rocks,  whether  petrified  or  not  as  fossil  plants, 
  shells. 
 
  {Fossil  copal},  a  resinous  substance,  first  found  in  the  blue 
  clay  at  Highgate  near  London,  and  apparently  a  vegetable 
  resin,  partly  changed  by  remaining  in  the  earth. 
 
  {Fossil  cork},  {flax},  {paper},  or  {wood},  varieties  of 
  amianthus. 
 
  {Fossil  farina},  a  soft  carbonate  of  lime. 
 
  {Fossil  ore},  fossiliferous  red  hematite.  --Raymond. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  flax 
  n  :  made  into  thread  and  woven  into  linen  fabric 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Flax 
  (Heb.  pishtah  i.e.,  "peeled",  in  allusion  to  the  fact  that  the 
  stalks  of  flax  when  dried  were  first  split  or  peeled  before 
  being  steeped  in  water  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  pulp). 
  This  plant  was  cultivated  from  earliest  times.  The  flax  of  Egypt 
  was  destroyed  by  the  plague  of  hail  when  it  "was  bolled",  i.e., 
  was  forming  pods  for  seed  (Ex.  9:31).  It  was  extensively 
  cultivated  both  in  Egypt  and  Palestine.  Reference  is  made  in 
  Josh.  2:6  to  the  custom  of  drying  flax-stalks  by  exposing  them 
  to  the  sun  on  the  flat  roofs  of  houses.  It  was  much  used  in 
  forming  articles  of  clothing  such  as  girdles,  also  cords  and 
  bands  (Lev.  13:48,  52,  59;  Deut.  22:11).  (See  {LINEN}.) 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words