sleave

Sleave, n. Etym: [Cf. Dan. slöif, a knot loop, Sw. slejf, G. schleife a knot, silding 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. Shak. Sleave, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sleaved; p. pr. & vb. n. Sleaving.] Defn: To separate, as threads; to divide, as a collection of threads; to sley; -- a weaver's term.

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