Crosswordese.Com


A patent was granted for the cotton gin on this day in 1794

Word of the Day - Sunday, March 14th

Contact Us

 


Home

Word of the Day

Archives

Clever Clue of the Month

The Cruciverbalist

Links

Daily Email







LISLE (lyuhl)

A tightly twisted cotton thread used for making hosiery and gloves

Common clues: Cotton thread; Twisted thread; Stocking material; Hosiery thread

Crossword puzzle frequency: 3 times a year

Frequency in English language: 41675 / 86800

Origin: from Lisle, former spelling of Lille, a city in northern France where lisle was made.


To create lisle, one thread is twisted an extra twist per inch than ordinary yarns in one direction and a second thread is twisted at the same rate in the opposite direction.  The two threads are then combined and twisted together.  The extra twists in lisle yarns give additional strength and resilience.  Due to the additional processing required to make lisle, it is more expensive than basic cotton yarn. 

[Source: Knitting Together]





I wore a pair of glove-fitting low shoes and lisle-thread socks. I can remember that yet. I would advise anyone going into the mines not to wear lisle-thread socks and low shoes. You are liable to stick your foot into a snow-bank or a mud hole and dip up too much water.

[Source: “A Mountain Snowstorm” by Bill Nye]