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 (Zoöl.), a lasso
cell. See under Lasso. — Thread herring (Zoöl.), 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.
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.
Thread"bare` (?), a. 1. Worn to the naked thread; having the nap worn
off; threadbare clothes. "A threadbare cope." Chaucer.
2. Fig.: Worn out; as, a threadbare subject; stale topics and
threadbare quotations. Swift.
Thread"bare`ness, n. The state of being threadbare.
Thread"en (?), a. Made of thread; as, threaden sails; a threaden
fillet. [Obs.] Shak.
Thread"er (?), n. 1. A device for assisting in threading a needle.