skein

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

skein, n. [OE. skeyne, OF. escaigne, F. écagne, probably of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. sgainne, Gael. sgeinnidh thread, small twine; or perhaps the English word is immediately from Celtic.].

•  A quantity of yarn, thread, or the like, put up together, after it is taken from the reel, -- usually tied in a sort of knot.  [1913 Webster]

  " A skein of cotton yarn is formed by eighty turns of the thread round a fifty-four inch reel."  [1913 Webster]
•  A metallic strengthening band or thimble on the wooden arm of an axle.  Knight.  [1913 Webster]

skein, n. 

 A flight of wild fowl (wild geese or the like).  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

skein, n.
1 a loosely-coiled bundle of yarn or thread.
2 a flock of wild geese etc. in flight.
3 a tangle or confusion.

Etymology

ME f. OF escaigne, of unkn. orig.

THESAURUS

skein

animal fiber, artificial fiber, bevy, capillament, charm, cilium, cirrus, cloud, cobweb, covey, denier, fiber, fibrilla, filament, filamentule, flagellum, flight, flock, gaggle, gossamer, hair, hank, hive, jungle, knot, labyrinth, mesh, morass, murmuration, plague, snarl, spring, strand, suture, swarm, tangle, tendril, thread, threadlet, watch, web

ROGET THESAURUS

skein

Crossing

N crossing, intersection, interdigitation, decussation, transversion, convolution, level crossing, reticulation, network, inosculation, anastomosis, intertexture, mortise, net, plexus, web, mesh, twill, skein, sleeve, felt, lace, wicker, mat, matting, plait, trellis, wattle, lattice, grating, grille, gridiron, tracery, fretwork, filigree, reticle, tissue, netting, mokes, rivulation, cross, chain, wreath, braid, cat's cradle, knot, entangle, cloth, linen, muslin, cambric, crossing, crossed, matted, v, transverse, cross, cruciform, crucial, retiform, reticular, reticulated, areolar, cancellated, grated, barred, streaked, textile, crossbarred, cruciate, palmiped, secant, web-footed, cross, thwart, athwart, transversely, at grade, crosswise.