ˈthumb-rope Now dial.
A rope made by twisting hay or straw on the thumb; cf. thumb-band.
| 1601 Holland Pliny (1634) I. 501 To lap and wrap them about with wreaths and thumb-ropes of straw. 1601 Deacon & Walker Spirits & Divels 83 Matters that cleaue together like thombe-roppes of sand. 1679 V. Alsop Melius Inquir. ii. ii. 212 A Thumb-rope of Sand will make an excellent Cable for Fishers-Folly. 1733 Tull Horse-Hoeing Husb. xxi. 300 Winding Thumb-Ropes of Straw about the Iron Circles of the Wheels, and about the Spokes. 1805 Forsyth Beauties Scotl. II. 448 When ready for stacking, they are bound with thumb-ropes, and put on the carts. 1894 Northumbld. Gloss., Thoom-rope, a short straw-rope, extemporized by twisting it on the thumb of the right hand whilst the length required is drawn evenly through the left hand. |