crin
(krɪn, ‖ krɛ̃)
[Fr., = horsehair.]
A fabric made from horsehair alone or combined with some other fibre; = crinoline n. 1 a; so crin végétal, vegetable horsehair (see vegetable a. 7 a).
| [1858 Simmons Dict. Trade, Crin, the French name for horsehair.] 1875 Encycl. Brit. I. 565/1 The most important fibre is the crin vegetal, or vegetable horse hair, produced from the dwarf palm (Chamærops humilis), with which a vast portion of the uncultivated parts of the country [sc. Algeria] is covered. 1900 Daily News 9 June 6/6 The crin or horsehair (sometimes called crinoline) hat is poetic enough. 1900 Traveller 4 Aug. 112/2 A big floppy crin hat, trimmed with..black lace. 1909 Westm. Gaz. 3 June 8/3 There is a large hat of black crin. 1923 Daily Mail 9 Feb. 11 A similar shape of blue crin straw and satin ribbon. 1963 Times 3 June 11/5 A beret of crin sprinkled with chenille bobbles. |