Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Wool?

\Wool\ (w[oo^]l), n. [OE. wolle, wulle, AS. wull; akin to D. wol, OHG. wolla, G. wolle, Icel. & Sw. ull, Dan. uld, Goth, wulla, Lith. vilna, Russ. volna, L. vellus, Skr. [=u]r[.n][=a] wool, v[.r] to cover. [root]146, 287. Cf. {Flannel}, {Velvet}.] 1. The soft and curled, or crisped, species of hair which grows on sheep and some other animals, and which in fineness sometimes approaches to fur; -- chiefly applied to the fleecy coat of the sheep, which constitutes a most essential material of clothing in all cold and temperate climates. Note: Wool consists essentially of keratin. 2. Short, thick hair, especially when crisped or curled. Wool of bat and tongue of dog. --Shak. 3. (Bot.) A sort of pubescence, or a clothing of dense, curling hairs on the surface of certain plants. {Dead pulled wool}, wool pulled from a carcass. {Mineral wool}. See under {Mineral}. {Philosopher's wool}. (Chem.) See {Zinc oxide}, under {Zinc}. {Pulled wool}, wool pulled from a pelt, or undressed hide. {Slag wool}. Same as {Mineral wool}, under {Mineral}. {Wool ball}, a ball or mass of wool. {Wool burler}, one who removes little burs, knots, or extraneous matter, from wool, or the surface of woolen cloth. {Wool comber}. (a) One whose occupation is to comb wool. (b) A machine for combing wool. {Wool grass} (Bot.), a kind of bulrush ({Scirpus Eriophorum}) with numerous clustered woolly spikes. {Wool scribbler}. See {Woolen scribbler}, under {Woolen}, a. {Wool sorter's disease} (Med.), a disease, resembling malignant pustule, occurring among those who handle the wool of goats and sheep. {Wool staple}, a city or town where wool used to be brought to the king's staple for sale. [Eng.] {Wool stapler}. (a) One who deals in wool. (b) One who sorts wool according to its staple, or its adaptation to different manufacturing purposes. {Wool winder}, a person employed to wind, or make up, wool into bundles to be packed for sale.