† sleave-silk Obs.
Also 6 slaye-, 7 slea-, 8 sleeve-.
[f. sleave v. 1.]
Silk thread capable of being separated into smaller filaments for use in embroidery, etc.
| α 1588 in Antiquary XXXII. 373, ii ounce of slaye sylke, xvid. 1676 Rainbow Funeral Serm. C'tess Pembroke (1677) 38 A Prime..Wit [marg. Dr. Donne]..is reported to have said of this Lady..That she knew well how to discourse of all things, from Predestination, to Slea-silk. |
| β 1598 Florio, Capitone, a kinde of course silke called sleaue-silke. 1600–2 in Whitaker Hist. Craven 315 Paid for sleave silk, xxxiiis. 1672–3 Grew Anat. Pl., Roots (1682) 66 The Threds..stand collateral together; as the several Single Threds of the Silkworm do in Sleave-Silk. 1703 Lond. Gaz. No. 3924/3 Sleeve and Twisted Silk. |
| Comb. a 1631 Donne Poems (1633) 190 Let..curious traitors, sleave silke [pr. sicke] flies Bewitch poore fishes wandring eyes. |
| transf. and fig. 1649 Lovelace Poems (1864) 36 In the sleave-silke of her haire 'Twas hard bound up and wrapped. 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. IV, lxxxv, When..all faculties In y{supt} sleave-silke of Sleep soft-fettered Lay. |