skein
skein — noun
- skeinsingular
- skeinsplural
1. a loosely wound bundle of wool, thread, or yarn shaped like a ring, usually sold
a loosely wound bundle of wool, thread, or yarn shaped like a ring, usually sold or stored in this form before being used for knitting, weaving, or embroidery
Grandma Rosa picked out three soft skeins of blue wool for the baby blanket she was knitting.
a skein of [colour/material] [purpose]
The cat got into the craft basket and dragged a skein of red silk thread halfway across the living room.
Each skein of hand-dyed cotton costs about four hundred dollars at the weekend market in Taipei.
- hank
A hank is a specific type of skein measured by length; in craft contexts, 'skein' is the more general term for any loosely coiled length of yarn.
- ball (of yarn)
A ball is wound tightly into a round shape, unlike the loose, open loop of a skein. Many knitters wind a skein into a ball before beginning a project.
文法句型
a skein of [material]
用法筆記
Unlike a ball of yarn, a skein is wound in a loose, elongated loop that must be wound into a ball before use, or it will tangle.
2. a long, stretched-out formation of wild water birds, especially geese or ducks,
a long, stretched-out formation of wild water birds, especially geese or ducks, flying together through the sky
A skein of geese passed low over the rice paddies, their calls echoing across the valley.
a skein of [bird species] + verb of motion
From the hilltop, the birdwatchers spotted a skein of ducks flying south against the grey winter sky.
The children ran outside to watch a skein of swans glide silently above the mist-covered lake at dawn.
文法句型
a skein of [bird species]
用法筆記
This sense is primarily used in literary or descriptive writing. A more everyday word for a group of birds is 'flock'. 'Skein' specifically describes birds that fly in long, drawn-out formations, not compact flocks.
常見錯誤
skein — verb
- skeinpresent simple I / you / we / they
- skeins3rd person singular
- skeining-ing form
- skeinedpast simple
1. to wind wool, thread, or yarn into a long, loose circular bundle called a skein,
to wind wool, thread, or yarn into a long, loose circular bundle called a skein, typically after the material has been dyed or spun by hand
After dyeing the wool with indigo, Chen Wei carefully skeined the yarn and hung it to dry.
skein + [material] + purpose phrase
The weaver skeined the hand-spun cotton and tied each bundle with a piece of coloured string.
Aisha's grandmother taught her how to skein yarn on a wooden swift without letting the threads tangle.
- wind
A general term for coiling thread around something; 'skein' specifies the particular technique of making a skein rather than a ball or spool.
文法句型
skein + [material]