Lin"en, n. [Prop. an adj. from OE. lin flax, AS. ln flax, whence lnen
made of flax; akin to OS., Icel., & MHG. ln flax and linen, G. lein,
leinen, linen, Sw. lin flax, Goth. lein linen, L. linum flax, linen,
Gr. li`non. Cf. Line, Linseed.] 1. Thread or cloth made of flax or
(rarely) of hemp; -- used in a general sense to include cambric,
shirting, sheeting, towels, tablecloths, etc. "In linen white as milk."
Robert of Brunne.
2. Underclothing, esp. the shirt, as being, in former times, chiefly
made of linen.
Linen draper, a dealer in linen. -- Linen prover, a small microscope
for counting the threads in a given space in linen fabrics. -- Linen
scroll, Linen pattern (Arch.), an ornament for filling panels, copied
from the folds of a piece of stuff symmetrically disposed.