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Vinony

skein

noun

  1. unit of length equal to 360 feet
L27082 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /skeɪn/

noun

Etymology: From Dutch scheen (“strip of metal or wood; (anatomy) shin”), from Middle Dutch schene, from Old Dutch *skina, from Proto-West Germanic *skinu (“bar; track; (anatomy) shin; spine”), from Proto-Germanic *skinō (“piece; plate; rim; (anatomy) shinbone”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *skey- (“to dissect; to split”). Doublet of shin.

  1. A thin strip of an osier (“long, pliable twig from a plant, usually a willow”) used in basketmaking.

    “[F]or the finer work, as table-mats, fruit and work-baskets, and the like, the osiers are divided into four parts, lengthways, which are called splits, and these are afterwards reduced to various degrees of fineness, when they are called skeins.”

  2. A metallic strengthening band or thimble on the wooden arm of an axle of a wagon.

    “On November 21, Dow, one of the free-state settlers went to the blacksmith's shop unarmed, carrying a waggon skein to be repaired. While he was at the shop, Coleman and Buckley of Missouri, and another pro-slavery man came up, all armed, and an angry discussion followed.”

verb

Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English skaine, skayne (“quantity of string, thread, etc., wound on a reel; the string, thread, etc., so wound”), from Old French escaigne (modern French écagne, écaigne (Picardy)); further etymology uncertain, probably from Proto-Celtic, from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to split off”). The verb is derived from noun. cognates * Irish scáinne (“skein, clew”)

  1. To weave or wind (thread, yarn, etc.) into a skein (noun etymology 1, noun sense 1).

    “Under section 7 of Act March 3, 1883, referring to section 2907, Rev. St., if skeining worsted or mohair yarns is necessary to render them merchantable yarns, the cost of skeining is a part of the value of the goods, and subject to duty. If skeining is necessary only for convenience in transportation from the producer to the consumer, it is a charge for putting up, preparing, and packing for shipment, and the extra cost of skeining is not to be added to the other costs in computing the duty.”

  2. To intertwine or weave (something) with another thing.

    “Water skeined the landscape. The Shannon River, lost since Limerick city, was drawing nearer to name the airport, and a tributary quickened its way towards it.”