sleave

[ sleev ]

verb (used with object)

, sleaved, sleav·ing.

1. to divide or separate into filaments, as silk.

noun

1. anything matted or raveled.
2. a filament of silk obtained by separating a thicker thread.
3. a silk in the form of such filaments.

sleave

/ sliːv /

noun

1. a tangled thread
2. a thin filament unravelled from a thicker thread
3. poetic.
   anything matted or complicated

verb

1. to disentangle (twisted thread, etc)

Other Words From

• un·sleaved adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sleave¹

1585–95; Old English -slǣfan (only in the compound tōslǣfan ), akin to slīfan to split; sliver

Word History and Origins

Origin of sleave¹

Old English slǣfan to divide; related to Middle Low German slēf, Norwegian sleiv big spoon

Example Sentences

“I love you—I love you—” until at last sleep helped to knit up the ravelled sleave of care.

From Project Gutenberg

The Italian form is sciamito, "a kind of sleave, feret, or filosello silke" (Florio).

From Project Gutenberg