Silkiness
(Silk"i*ness) n.
1. The quality or state of being silky or silken; softness and smoothness.
2. Fig.: Effeminacy; weakness. [R.] B. Jonson.
Silkman
(Silk"man) n.; pl. Silkmen A dealer in silks; a silk mercer. Shak.
Silkness
(Silk"ness) n. Silkiness. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Silkweed
(Silk"weed`) n. (Bot.) Any plant of the genera Asclepias and Acerates whose seed vessels
contain a long, silky down; milkweed.
Silkworm
(Silk"worm`) n. [AS. seolcwyrm.] (Zoöl.) The larva of any one of numerous species of bombycid
moths, which spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its cocoon before changing to a pupa.
The common species (Bombyx mori) feeds on the leaves of the white mulberry tree. It is native of China,
but has long been introduced into other countries of Asia and Europe, and is reared on a large scale. In
America it is reared only to small extent. The Ailanthus silkworm (Philosamia cynthia) is a much larger
species, of considerable importance, which has been introduced into Europe and America from China.
The most useful American species is the Polyphemus. See Polyphemus.
Pernyi silkworm, the larva of the Pernyi moth. See Pernyi moth. — Silkworm gut, a substance
prepared from the contents of the silk glands of silkworms and used in making lines for angling. See
Gut. - - Silkworm rot, a disease of silkworms; muscardine.
Silky
(Silk"y) a. [Compar. Silkier ; superl. Silkiest.]
1. Of or pertaining to silk; made of, or resembling, silk; silken; silklike; as, a silky luster.
2. Hence, soft and smooth; as, silky wine.
3. Covered with soft hairs pressed close to the surface, as a leaf; sericeous.
Silky oak (Bot.), a lofty Australian tree (Grevillea robusta) with silky tomentose lobed or incised leaves.
It furnishes a valuable timber.
Sill
(Sill) n. [OE. sille, sylle, AS. syl, syll; akin to G. schwelle, OHG. swelli, Icel. syll, svill, Sw.
syll, Dan. syld, Goth. gasuljan to lay a foundation, to found.] The basis or foundation of a thing; especially,
a horizontal piece, as a timber, which forms the lower member of a frame, or supports a structure; as,
the sills of a house, of a bridge, of a loom, and the like. Hence: (a) The timber or stone at the foot of
a door; the threshold. (b) The timber or stone on which a window frame stands; or, the lowest piece
in a window frame. (c) The floor of a gallery or passage in a mine. (d) A piece of timber across the
bottom of a canal lock for the gates to shut against.
Sill course (Arch.), a horizontal course of stone, terra cotta, or the like, built into a wall at the level of
one or more window sills, these sills often forming part of it.
Sill
(Sill), n. [Cf. Thill.] The shaft or thill of a carriage. [Prov. Eng.]
Sill
(Sill), n. [Cf. 4th Sile.] A young herring. [Eng.]
Sillabub
(Sil"la*bub) n. [Cf. sile to strain, and bub liquor, also Prov. E. sillibauk.] A dish made by
mixing wine or cider with milk, and thus forming a soft curd; also, sweetened cream, flavored with wine
and beaten to a stiff froth. [Written also syllabub.]
