Thread

Thread (thrĕd), n. [OE. threed, þred, AS. þrǣd; akin to D. draad, G. draht wire, thread, OHG. drāt, Icel. þrāðr a thread, Sw. tråd, Dan. traad, and AS. þrāwan to twist. See Throw, and cf. Third.] 1. A very small twist of flax, wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or joined together, and twisted.

2. A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous substance, as of bark; also, a line of gold or silver.

3. The prominent part of the spiral of a screw or nut; the rib. See Screw, n., 1.

4. Fig.: Something continued in a long course or tenor; a,s the thread of life, or of a discourse. Bp. Burnet.

5. Fig.: Composition; quality; fineness. [Obs.]

A neat courtier,
Of a most elegant thread.

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.

They would not thread the gates.

3. To form a thread, or spiral rib, on or in; as, to thread a screw or nut.