sleave Meaning, Definition & Usage

Sleave noun
Etymology
Cf. Dan. slöif, a knot loop, Sw. slejf, G. schleife a knot, silding knot, and E. slip, v.i.
Definitions
  1. The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread.
  2. Silk not yet twisted; floss; -- called also sleave silk.
    Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care. Shak.
Sleave transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Sleaved ; present participle & verbal noun Sleaving
Definitions
  1. To separate, as threads; to divide, as a collection of threads; to sley; -- a weaver's term.

Webster 1913