catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Needle \Nee"dle\ (n[=e]"d'l), n. [OE. nedle, AS. n[=ae]dl; akin
     to D. neald, OS. n[=a]dla, G. nadel, OHG. n[=a]dal,
     n[=a]dala, Icel. n[=a]l, Sw. n[*a]l, Dan. naal, and also to
     G. n["a]hen to sew, OHG. n[=a]jan, L. nere to spin, Gr.
     ne`ein, and perh. to E. snare: cf. Gael. & Ir. snathad
     needle, Gael. snath thread, G. schnur string, cord.]
     1. A small instrument of steel, sharply pointed at one end,
        with an eye to receive a thread, -- used in sewing.
        --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In some needles (as for sewing machines) the eye is at
           the pointed end, but in ordinary needles it is at the
           blunt end.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. See Magnetic needle, under Magnetic.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A slender rod or wire used in knitting; a knitting needle;
        also, a hooked instrument which carries the thread or
        twine, and by means of which knots or loops are formed in
        the process of netting, knitting, or crocheting.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Bot.) One of the needle-shaped secondary leaves of pine
        trees. See Pinus.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. Any slender, pointed object, like a needle, as a pointed
        crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. A hypodermic needle; a syringe fitted with a hypodermic
        needle, used for injecting fluids into the body.
        [Informal]
        [PJC]
  
     7. An injection of medicine from a hypodermic needle; a shot.
        [PJC]
  
     Dipping needle. See under Dipping.
  
     Needle bar, the reciprocating bar to which the needle of a
        sewing machine is attached.
  
     Needle beam (Arch.), in shoring, the horizontal cross
        timber which goes through the wall or a pier, and upon
        which the weight of the wall rests, when a building is
        shored up to allow of alterations in the lower part.
  
     Needle furze (Bot.), a prickly leguminous plant of Western
        Europe; the petty whin ({Genista Anglica).
  
     Needle gun, a firearm loaded at the breech with a cartridge
        carrying its own fulminate, which is exploded by driving a
        slender needle, or pin, into it. [archaic]
  
     Needle loom (Weaving), a loom in which the weft thread is
        carried through the shed by a long eye-pointed needle
        instead of by a shuttle.
  
     Needle ore (Min.), acicular bismuth; a sulphide of bismuth,
        lead, and copper occuring in acicular crystals; -- called
        also aikinite.
  
     Needle shell (Zo["o]l.), a sea urchin.
  
     Needle spar (Min.), aragonite.
  
     Needle telegraph, a telegraph in which the signals are
        given by the deflections of a magnetic needle to the right
        or to the left of a certain position.
  
     Sea needle (Zo["o]l.), the garfish.
        [1913 Webster]

  Needle \Nee"dle\, n. [OE. nedle, AS. n?dl; akin to D. neald, OS.
     n[=a]dla, G. nadel, OHG. n[=a]dal, n[=a]dala, Icel. n[=a]l,
     Sw. n[*a]l, Dan. naal, and also to G. n["a]hen to sew, OHG.
     n[=a]jan, L. nere to spin, Gr. ?, and perh. to E. snare: cf.
     Gael. & Ir. snathad needle, Gael. snath thread, G. schnur
     string, cord.]
     1. A small instrument of steel, sharply pointed at one end,
        with an eye to receive a thread, -- used in sewing.
        --Chaucer.
  
     Note: In some needles(as for sewing machines) the eye is at
           the pointed end, but in ordinary needles it is at the
           blunt end.
  
     2. See Magnetic needle, under Magnetic.
  
     3. A slender rod or wire used in knitting; a knitting needle;
        also, a hooked instrument which carries the thread or
        twine, and by means of which knots or loops are formed in
        the process of netting, knitting, or crocheting.
  
     4. (Bot.) One of the needle-shaped secondary leaves of pine
        trees. See Pinus.
  
     5. Any slender, pointed object, like a needle, as a pointed
        crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.
  
     Dipping needle. See under Dipping.
  
     Needle bar, the reciprocating bar to which the needle of a
        sewing machine is attached.
  
     Needle beam (Arch.), to shoring, the horizontal cross
        timber which goes through the wall or a pier, and upon
        which the weight of the wall rests, when a building is
        shored up to allow of alterations in the lower part.
  
     Needle furze (Bot.), a prickly leguminous plant of Western
        Europe; the petty whin ({Genista Anglica).
  
     Needle gun, a firearm loaded at the breech with a cartridge
        carrying its own fulminate, which is exploded by driving a
        slender needle, or pin, into it.
  
     Needle loom (Weaving), a loom in which the weft thread is
        carried through the shed by a long eye-pointed needle
        instead of by a shuttle.
  
     Needle ore (Min.), acicular bismuth; a sulphide of bismuth,
        lead, and copper occuring in acicular crystals; -- called
        also aikinite.
  
     Needle shell (Zo["o]l.), a sea urchin.
  
     Needle spar (Min.), aragonite.
  
     Needle telegraph, a telegraph in which the signals are
        given by the deflections of a magnetic needle to the right
        or to the left of a certain position.
  
     Sea needle (Zo["o]l.), the garfish.

  needle shell
     n.
     A sea urchin.

  needle shell
     n.
     A sea urchin.

  needle shell
     n.
     A sea urchin.

  needle shell
     n.
     A sea urchin.