skein
English
Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
Alternative forms
- (obsolete) skean
Etymology
Old English skeyne, Old French escaigne, French écagne, probably of Celtic origin
Pronunciation
Noun
skein (plural skeins)
- A quantity of yarn, thread, or the like, put up together, after it is taken from the reel. A skein of cotton yarn is formed by eighty turns of the thread round a fifty-four inch reel.
- (figuratively) A web, a weave, a tangle.
- (wagonmaking) A metallic strengthening band or thimble on the wooden arm of an axle.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?)
- (zoology, provincial England) A group of wild fowl, (e.g. geese, goslings) when they are in flight.
- (sports) A winning streak.
Translations
quantity of yarn
wagonmaking: metallic strengthening
winning streak — see winning streak
See also
Faroese
Pronunciation
- IPA: /skaiːn/
Noun
skein f (genitive singular skeinar, plural skeinir)
Related terms
- (common): skeina
Declension
| f2 | Singular | Plural | ||
| Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
| Nominative | skein | skeinin | skeinir | skeinirnar |
| Accusative | skein | skeinina | skeinir | skeinirnar |
| Dative | skein | skeinini | skeinum | skeinunum |
| Genitive | skeinar | skeinarinnar | skeina | skeinanna |
Verb
skein