silk

(sĭlk)

a. A fine lustrous fiber composed mainly of fibroin and produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons, especially the strong, elastic, fibrous secretion of silkworms used to make thread and fabric.

b. Thread or fabric made from this fiber.

c. A garment made from this fabric.

a. A silky filamentous material spun by a spider or an insect such as a webspinner.

b. A silky filamentous material produced by a plant, such as the styles forming a tuft on an ear of corn.

3. silks The brightly colored identifying garments of a jockey or harness driver.

adj.

Composed of or similar to the fiber or the fabric silk.

intr.v. silked, silk·ing, silks

To develop silk. Used of corn.

[Middle English, from Old English sioloc, probably of Slavic origin (akin to Old Church Slavonic šelkŭ), ultimately from Greek sērikon, neuter of sērikos, silken; see serge¹.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

silks - the brightly colored garments of a jockey; emblematic of the stable

garment - an article of clothing; "garments of the finest silk"

plural, plural form - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one

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References in classic literature

Maggie wondered at the splendor of the costume and lost herself in calculations of the cost of the silks and laces.

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I meant to have told you that we did not wish to purchase any silks to-day, but in my absent-mindedness I forgot it.

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The two black silks will be good stand-bys for years.

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She conducted me to a spacious chamber in one of the buildings fronting on the plaza, and which, from the litter of silks and furs upon the floor, I took to be the sleeping quarters of several of the natives.

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"The balloon is composed of silk, varnished with the liquid gum caoutchouc.

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A fellow trains as fine as silk--till he's all silk, his skin, everything, and he's fit to live for a hundred years; an' then he climbs through the ropes for a hard twenty rounds with some tough customer that's just as good as he is, and in those twenty rounds he frazzles out all his silk an' blows in a year of his life.

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'Well, she had no silk, but you remember how she got that cloak with beads.'

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The storks were fast asleep, and he climbed on to the back of the father-stork and bound a silk cord round the joint of one of its wings, then he crept among its soft downy feathers and fell asleep.

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Breeches of crimson velvet, silk stockings, and low, silver-buckled slippers completed his costume.

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Leaves of the Nenuphars and silken skirts the same pale green, On flower and laughing face alike the same rose-tints are seen; Like some blurred tapestry they blend within the lake displayed: You cannot part the leaves from silk, the lily from the maid.

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"A pair of silk stockings, that pretty carved fan, and a lovely blue sash.

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The balloons were made of a strong but light Lyons silk, coated with gutta percha.

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