Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Sleave
Sleave
(slēv)
, Noun.
 [Cf. Dan. 
slöif
, a knot loop, Sw. slejf
, G. schleife 
a knot, sliding knot, and E. slip
, v.i.] (a) 
The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread. 
(b) 
Silk not yet twisted; floss; – called also 
sleave silk
. Sleep that knits up the ravell’d 
 sleave 
of care. Shakespeare
Sleave
,Verb.
 T.
 [
imp. & p. p. 
Sleaved 
(slēvd)
; p. pr. & vb. n. 
Sleaving
.] To separate, as threads; to divide, as a collection of threads; to sley; – a weaver's term. 
Webster 1828 Edition
Sleave
SLEAVE
,Noun.
  SLEAVE
,Verb.
T.
  Definition 2025
sleave
sleave
English
Verb
sleave (third-person singular simple present sleaves, present participle sleaving, simple past and past participle sleaved)
Synonyms
Noun
sleave (plural sleaves)
- The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread.
 -  Silk not yet twisted; floss.
-  Shakespeare
- Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care.
 
 
 -  Shakespeare