Thread (?), n. [OE. threed, red, AS. rd; akin to D. draad, G. draht wire, thread, OHG. drat, Icel. rar a thread, Sw. tr�x86;d, Dan. traad, and AS. rawan to twist. See Throw, and cf. Third.]
1.
A very small twist of flax, wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or joined together, and twisted.
2.
A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous substance, as of bark; also, a line of gold or silver.
3.
The prominent part of the spiral of a screw or nut; the rib. See Screw, n., 1.
4.
Fig.: Something continued in a long course or tenor; a,s the thread of life, or of a discourse.
Bp. Burnet.
5.
Fig.: Composition; quality; fineness.
[Obs.]
A neat courtier,
Of a most elegant thread.
B. Jonson.
Air thread, the fine white filaments which are seen floating in the air in summer, the production of spiders; gossamer. -- Thread and thrum, the good and bad together. [Obs.] Shak. -- Thread cell Zool., a lasso cell. See under Lasso. -- Thread herring Zool., the gizzard shad. See under Gizzard. -- Thread lace, lace made of linen thread. -- Thread needle, a game in which children stand in a row, joining hands, and in which the outer one, still holding his neighbor, runs between the others; -- called also thread the needle.
© Webster 1913.
Thread, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Threaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Threading.]
1.
To pass a thread through the eye of; as, to thread a needle.
2.
To pass or pierce through as a narrow way; also, to effect or make, as one's way, through or between obstacles; to thrid.
Heavy trading ships . . . threading the Bosphorus.
Mitford.
They would not thread the gates.
Shak.
3.
To form a thread, or spiral rib, on or in; as, to thread a screw or nut.
© Webster 1913.