sley

noun

variants: or slay or sleigh \ˈslā\

Definition of sley

plural -s

1 a :a weaver's reed

b :a movable frame in a loom that carries the reed

2 :a guideway in a knitting machine

3 :the number of warp ends per inch in a cloth

4 :a device in a lace machine that contains small holes through which some warp ends pass and is used in selecting the pattern

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Origin and Etymology of sley

Middle English sleye, slay, from Old English slege, literally, act of beating, stroke; akin to Old High German slag blow, Old Norse slagr, Old English slēan to strike, beat, slay

sley

transitive verb \ " \

Definition of sley

-ed/-ing/-s

:to separate and arrange in a reed the threads of (the warp)

—

sleyer

\-lāə(r), -le(ə)r, -leə\ noun, plural -s

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