Adjacent Words

Flax definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FLAX, n.
1. A plant of the genus Linum, consisting of a single slender stalk, the skin or herl of which is used for making thread and cloth, called linen, cambric, lawn, lace, etc. The skin consists of fine fibers, which may be so separated as to be spun into threads as fine as silk.
2. The skin or fibrous part of the plant when broken and cleaned by hatcheling or combing.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: fiber of the flax plant that is made into thread and woven into linen fabric
2: plant of the genus Linum that is cultivated for its seeds and for the fibers of its stem

Merriam Webster's

noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fleax; akin to Old High German flahs flax, Latin plectere to braid — more at ply Date: before 12th century 1. any of a genus (Linum of the family Linaceae, the flax family) of herbs; especially a slender erect annual (L. usitatissimum) with blue flowers commonly cultivated for its bast fiber and seed 2. the fiber of the flax plant especially when prepared for spinning 3. any of several plants resembling flax • flaxy adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a a blue-flowered plant, Linum usitatissimum, cultivated for its textile fibre and its seeds (see LINSEED). b a plant resembling this. 2 a dressed or undressed flax fibres. b archaic linen, cloth of flax. Phrases and idioms: flax-lily (pl. -ies) NZ any plant of the genus Phormium, yielding valuable fibre. flax-seed linseed. Etymology: OE flæx f. WG

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Flax Flax, n. [AS. fleax; akin to D. vlas, OHG. flahs, G. flachs, and prob. to flechten to braid, plait,m twist, L. plectere to weave, plicare to fold, Gr. ? to weave, plait. See Ply.] 1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Linum, esp. the L. usitatissimum, which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. The fiber of the bark is used for making thread and cloth, called linen, cambric, lawn, lace, etc. Linseed oil is expressed from the seed. 2. The skin or fibrous part of the flax plant, when broken and cleaned by hatcheling or combing. Earth flax (Min.), amianthus. Flax brake, a machine for removing the woody portion of flax from the fibrous. Flax comb, a hatchel, hackle, or heckle. Flax cotton, the fiber of flax, reduced by steeping in bicarbinate of soda and acidulated liquids, and prepared for bleaching and spinning like cotton. --Knight. Flax dresser, one who breaks and swingles flax, or prepares it for the spinner. Flax mill, a mill or factory where flax is spun or linen manufactured. Flax puller, a machine for pulling flax plants in the field. Flax wench. (a) A woman who spins flax. [Obs.] (b) A prostitute. [Obs.] --Shak. Mountain flax (Min.), amianthus. New Zealand flax (Bot.) See Flax-plant.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fossil Fos"sil, a. [L. fossilis, fr. fodere to dig: cf. F. fossile. See Fosse.] 1. Dug out of the earth; as, fossil coal; fossil salt. 2. (Paleon.) Like or pertaining to fossils; contained in rocks, whether petrified or not; as, fossil plants, shells. Fossil copal, a resinous substance, first found in the blue clay at Highgate, near London, and apparently a vegetable resin, partly changed by remaining in the earth. Fossil cork, flax, paper, or wood, varieties of amianthus. Fossil farina, a soft carbonate of lime. Fossil ore, fossiliferous red hematite. --Raymond.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Flax is a plant with blue flowers. Its stem is used for making thread, rope, and cloth, and its seeds are used for making linseed oil.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. pishtah, i.e., "peeled", in allusion to the fact that the stalks of flax when dried were first split or peeled before being steeped in water for the purpose of destroying the pulp). This plant was cultivated from earliest times. The flax of Egypt was destroyed by the plague of hail when it "was bolled", i.e., was forming pods for seed (Ex. 9:31). It was extensively cultivated both in Egypt and Palestine. Reference is made in Josh. 2:6 to the custom of drying flax-stalks by exposing them to the sun on the flat roofs of houses. It was much used in forming articles of clothing such as girdles, also cords and bands (Lev. 13:48, 52, 59; Deut. 22:11). (See LINEN.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

flaks pesheth, also pishtah; linon (Mt 12:20)): The above Hebrew words are applied

(1) to the plant: "The flax was in bloom" (the King James Version "bolled"; Ex 9:31);

(2) the "stalks of flax," literally, "flax of the tree," put on the roof to dry (Jos 2:6);

(3) to the fine fibers used for lighting: the King James Version "tow," "flax," the Revised Version (British and American). "A dimly burning wick will he not quench" (Isa 42:3); "They are quenched as a wick" (Isa 43:17). The thought is perhaps of a scarcely lighted wick just kindled with difficulty from a spark.

(4) In Isa 19:9 mention is made of "combed flax," i.e. flax hackled ready for spinning (compare Ho 2:5,9; Pr 31:13). The reference in Jud 15:14 is to flax twisted into cords.

(5) In Jud 16:9; Isa 1:31, mention is made of ne`oreth, "tow," literally, something "shaken off"--as the root implies--from flax.

(6) The plural form pishtim is used in many passages for linen, or linen garments, e.g. Le 13:47,48,52,59; De 22:11; Jer 13:1 ("linen girdle"); Eze 44:17 f. Linen was in the earliest historic times a favorite material for clothes. The Jewish priestly garments were of pure linen. Egyptian mummies were swathed in linen. Several other Hebrew words were used for linen garments.

See LINEN.

Flax is the product of Linum usitatissimum, a herbaceous plant which has been cultivated from the dawn of history. It is perennial and grows to a height of 2 to 3 ft.; it has blue flowers and very fibrous stalks. The tough fibers of the latter, after the decay and removal of the softer woody and gummy material, make up the crude "flax." Linseed, linseed oil and oilcake are useful products of the same plant.

E. W. G. Masterman