oosen.
/uːz/, /uːs/, U.S. /uz/, /us/, Scottish English /uz/, /us/ 1. Scottish. Fluff from wool, cotton, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > types of softness > [noun] > softness and downiness or fluffiness > downy or fluffy substance
down1542
flue1589
lanugo1677
fluff1790
oose1822
1822 in Sc. National Dict. (1965) VI. at Oo .
1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. Ooze, ouze, the nap, or caddis, that falls from yarn, cloth &c.
1879 A. G. Murdoch Rhymes & Lyrics 82 Wi' the oose o' the blankets she made up a plug, Which drew, like a blister, the flae oot o' my lug.
1928 ‘O. Douglas’ Eliza for Common 123 ‘New carpets always do that.’ ‘Oh, but not like this—handfuls of oos..fluffy stuff.’
1985 M. Munro Patter 51 How'm Ah gauny get aw this oose aff ma good velvet jaikit?
1989 J. Galloway Trick is to keep Breathing (1991) 8 Strings of oose shelter in corners, waving ghost arms.
2. The short projecting fibres on the surface of thread or yarn.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > thread or yarn > [noun] > nap of
oose1892
1892 J. Nasmith Students' Cotton Spinning 373 When thread is intended for lace purposes..it is passed several times through a gas flame at a high speed, so as to burn off the filaments or ‘ooze’ on its surface and leave it bare.
1909 Engineer 1 Oct. 352/1 The term ‘gassing’ is applied to the process of burning off the ends of fibres or ‘ooze’ on the different kinds of yarn.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1822