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heddle

American  
[hed-l] / ˈhɛd l /

noun

  1. one of the sets of vertical cords or wires in a loom, forming the principal part of the harness that guides the warp threads.


heddle British  
/ ˈhɛdəl /

noun

  1. one of a set of frames of vertical wires on a loom, each wire having an eye through which a warp thread can be passed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of heddle

1505–15; perhaps representing Old English *hefedl, a metathetic variant of hefeld ( Middle English helde, ModE heald ), cognate with Old Saxon hevild; akin to Old Norse hafald


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Holding a heddle rod to separate the warp threads, she draws the continuous horizontal weft thread in and out of one or more warp threads.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 15, 2022

The distance that the shuttle has to travel includes the breadth of the heddle, the length of the shuttle, and about four inches in addition.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 286, June 25, 1881 by Various

The arrangement of the lease rod and heddle sticks has been already described; in addition to these the threads are further controlled by a reed board which acts both as warp spacer and beater-in.

From The Tinguian Social, Religious, and Economic Life of a Philippine Tribe by Fay-Cooper Cole

The Greek loom may have been furnished with a heddle but the drawings are not clear on this point.

From Ancient Egyptian and Greek Looms by H. Ling (Henry Ling) Roth

Prof. Kennedy argues that these rods are in the wrong position and that D1 which is a heddle should be in the place of D2.

From Ancient Egyptian and Greek Looms by H. Ling (Henry Ling) Roth

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