Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Needle
Nee′dle
(nē′d’l)
, Noun.
[OE.
nedle
, AS. nǣdl
; akin to D. neald
, OS. nādla
, G. nadel
, OHG. nādal
, nādala
, Icel. nāl
, Sw. nål
, Dan. naal
, and also to G. nähen
to sew, OHG. nājan
, L. nere
to spin, Gr. νέειν
, 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.
☞ 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.
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.)
, 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
(Zool.)
, 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
(Zool.)
, the garfish.
Nee′dle
,Verb.
T.
1.
To form in the shape of a needle;
as, to
. needle
crystalsNee′dle
,Verb.
I.
To form needles; to crystallize in the form of needles.
Webster 1828 Edition
Needle
NEEDLE
,Noun.
1.
A small instrument of steel pointed at one end, with an eye at the other to receive a thread; used in sewing and embroidery. Needles are also used by surgeons in sewing up wounds.2.
A small pointed piece of steel used in the mariners compass, which by its magnetic quality is attracted and directed to the pole, and thus enables navigators to steer their ships the course intended.3.
Any crystalized substance in the form of a needle.Dipping needle, a magnetic needle that dips or inclines downwards.
NEEDLE
,Verb.
T.
NEEDLE
,Verb.
I.