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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

wool en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /wʊl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /wʉl/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
  • [wəl] (General-American)
  • [wul] (General-American)
  • wo͝ol (General-American)
  • [wʊ̠ɫ] (General-American)
  • (US) audio
  • /wʊl/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English wolle, from Old English wull, from Proto-West Germanic *wullu, from Proto-Germanic *wullō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Wulle, German Low German Wull, Dutch wol, German Wolle, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ull, Danish uld; also Welsh gwlân, Latin lāna, Lithuanian vi̇̀lna, Russian во́лос (vólos), Slovak vlna, Bulgarian влас (vlas), Albanian lesh (“wool, hair, fleece”). Doublet of lana. The vowel development u → o → oo is purely graphical. Modern English generally avoids the string ⟨wu⟩ in favour of ⟨wo⟩, and the resulting woll was then altered to wool (as supposedly better representing the pronunciation).

Meanings

  1. (uncountable, usually) The hair of the sheep, llama and some other ruminants.
    • The sheep were caught and plucked, because shears had not yet been invented to cut the wool from the sheep's back. 2006, Nigel Guy Wilson, Ancient Greece, page 692:
  2. (uncountable, usually) A cloth or yarn made from such hair.
    • Spielvogel said wet cleaning also has limitations; while it is fine for cottons and fabrics worn in warm climates, he said, it can damage heavy wools or structured clothes like suit jackets. 2009 January 12, Mireya Navarro, “It May Market Organic Alternatives, but Is Your Cleaner Really Greener?”, in New York Times:
  3. (uncountable, usually) Anything with a fibrous texture like that of sheep's wool.
    • The groundsels have leaves covered in wool for insulation[… 1975, Anthony Julian Huxley, Plant and Planet, page 223:
  4. (broadly, uncountable, usually) A dingy white color inspired by the natural shade of wool.
  5. (uncountable, usually) A fine fiber obtained from the leaves of certain trees, such as firs and pines.
  6. (obsolete, uncountable, usually) Short, thick hair, especially when crisped or curled.
    • wool of bat and tongue of dog c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
  7. (New-Zealand, UK, uncountable, usually) Yarn, including that made from synthetic fibers.
  8. (derogatory, qualifier:Liverpool, uncountable, usually) A woolly back; a resident of a satellite town outside Liverpool, such as St Helens or Warrington. See also Yonner.
  9. (slang, uncountable, usually) A marijuana cigarette or cigar laced with crack cocaine.
    • Lopez said the shooter's name was Lou, known on the street as Wool Lou, because he sold "wools," which were cigarettes rolled up with crack cocaine. 2012, Chris Berdik, Mind Over Mind: The Surprising Power of Expectations, New York, N.Y.: Current, →ISBN, page 149:
    • The object of your affection is the treetop connection / Where basically you love to smoke your wools 1991 March 29, “Slow Down” (0:25 from the start), in One for All, performed by Brand Nubian:
    • He rocked Caesar's chains, he pushed Caesar's Range / Smokin' mad wools all day, with Caesar's change 2003 June 24, “Sabotage” (0:40 from the start), in The Ownerz, performed by Gang Starr:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
wools Number=Plur lexicographic

Coordinates

goathair (hair of sheep) · horsehair (hair of sheep) · qiviut (hair of sheep) · see Thesaurus:white

Deriveds

wool-gather · shortwool · angora wool · wool picker · seed wool · woolman · go to the goat's house for wool · woolhat · woolworks · wool-pated · shorn wool · slut's wool · wool comber · dyed-in-the-wool · rockwool · feather wool · woolclasser · rag wool · wool-fat · great cry and little wool · gather wool · waste of wool · rock wool · woolward · steel-wool · woolstuff · woolsorting · woolgrowing · philosophical wool · wool wax · cotton wool bud · wool classing · woolwear · much cry and little wool · woolsedge · woolcomb · woolcomber · woolsorter · woolworking · woolhouse · wood wool · woolwork · wool-hole · woolgrower · scoured wool · kaowool · woolcombing · wool-headed · woolwasher · cotton-wool · woolwinder · andalusian wool · woollen · all wool and a yard wide · polywool · woollike · pull the wool over somebody's eyes · warm as wool · woolly · woolshearer · bullswool · wool sorter · salamander's wool · longwool · pig's wool · wool-gathering · woolmonger · fleece wool · more cry than wool · dewool · woolskin · meat wool · Wool Wool · all cry and no wool · darning wool · woolulose · woolgathering · woolgrass · wool stapler · mestizo wool · steel wool · nonwool · wood-wool · woolfell · woolclassing · dye in the wool · burry wool · woolhead · wool classer · woolshears · woolshed · wool grease · cony wool · philosophers' wool · lambswool · wool fat · woolshearing · pull the wool over someone's eyes · thibet wool · wool clip · woolpack · wooly · wolf in wool · woolhall · philosopher's wool · wooled · woolish · breech wool · virgin wool · mineral wool · milk wool · woolless · woolworker · wire wool · Wool Bay · cotton wool ball · dead pulled wool · underwool · abb-wool · Shetland wool · wool oil · ice wool · skin wool · dyed in the wool · woolpacker · woolbroker · wool moth · wooldriver · wool-dyed · glass wool · cotton wool · woolen · woolsack

Descendants

ウール · vulu

Hyponyms

tweed (cloth or yarn) · worsted (cloth or yarn) · felt (cloth or yarn)

Synonyms

wooler · woolie

Translations (237)

be во́ўна (cloth or yarn) · uk во́вна (cloth or yarn) · el μαλλί (hair of sheep, etc.) · it lana (cloth or yarn) · fi villa (anything with a texture like that of wool) · br gloan (hair of sheep, etc.) · fr laine (cloth or yarn) · hy գեղմ (hair of sheep, etc.) · chr ᎤᏩᏂ (hair of sheep, etc.) · ruo lărę (hair of sheep, etc.) · hi ऊन (cloth or yarn) · mhr меж (hair of sheep, etc.) · scn lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · mrj миж (hair of sheep, etc.) · bg вълна́ (cloth or yarn) · ko 양모 (hair of sheep, etc.) · zu uvolo (hair of sheep, etc.) · ruo lărĕ (hair of sheep, etc.) · alt јум (hair of sheep, etc.) · ka შალის ქსოვილი (cloth or yarn) · so suuf (hair of sheep, etc.) · be шэрсць (hair of sheep, etc.) · et vill (cloth or yarn) · is ull (hair of sheep, etc.) · hi ऊन (hair of sheep, etc.) · ti ጸምሪ (hair of sheep, etc.) · nl wol (hair of sheep, etc.) · ka შალი (cloth or yarn) · sm vulu (hair of sheep, etc.) · ga olann (hair of sheep, etc.) · ka მატყლი (hair of sheep, etc.) · sk vlna (cloth or yarn) · kmr hirî (hair of sheep, etc.) · km រោមចៀម (cloth or yarn) · nv aghaaʼ (hair of sheep, etc.) · pl wełna (cloth or yarn) · mk во́лница (cloth or yarn) · fax lana (Lagarteiru) (hair of sheep, etc.) · kw gwlan (hair of sheep, etc.) · zza peşmi (hair of sheep, etc.) · grc εἶρος (hair of sheep, etc.) · ha ulu (hair of sheep, etc.) · eu ardile (cloth or yarn) · vi len (cloth or yarn) · grc ἔριον (hair of sheep, etc.) · gd olann (cloth or yarn) · fa-ira پَشْم (hair of sheep, etc.) · ms suf (hair of sheep, etc.) · fi villa (cloth or yarn) · vi len (hair of sheep, etc.) · got 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌰 (cloth or yarn) · ug جاۋىغا (hair of sheep, etc.) · gmy 𐀔𐀪 (hair of sheep, etc.) · evn инңакта (hair of sheep, etc.) · tr yün (hair of sheep, etc.) · rif taḍuft (hair of sheep, etc.) · sv ylle (cloth or yarn) · ko 양모 (cloth or yarn) · bn উল (hair of sheep, etc.) · nv dibé bighaaʼ (hair of sheep, etc.) · eo lano (hair of sheep, etc.) · uk пря́жа (cloth or yarn) · he צֶמֶר (hair of sheep, etc.) · lo ຂົນ (hair of sheep, etc.) · lb Woll (hair of sheep, etc.) · ja ウール (hair of sheep, etc.) · cs vlna (hair of sheep, etc.) · pt lã (hair of sheep, etc.) · cs vlna (cloth or yarn) · ro lână (hair of sheep, etc.) · pdt Woll (hair of sheep, etc.) · xmf მონტყორი (hair of sheep, etc.) · lt vilna (hair of sheep, etc.) · nb ull (cloth or yarn) · bo བལ (hair of sheep, etc.) · id wol (hair of sheep, etc.) · my သိုးမွေး (cloth or yarn) · vo lain (hair of sheep, etc.) · shi taḍutt (hair of sheep, etc.) · th ขนแกะ (hair of sheep, etc.) · nn ull (cloth or yarn) · be во́ўна (hair of sheep, etc.) · es lana (cloth or yarn) · mk пре́ѓа (cloth or yarn) · xbc παμανο (hair of sheep, etc.) · izh villa (hair of sheep, etc.) · mn ноос (hair of sheep, etc.) · sc lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · frp lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · ug موي (hair of sheep, etc.) · cy gwlân (hair of sheep, etc.) · cu вльна (hair of sheep, etc.) · da uld (hair of sheep, etc.) · dsb wałma (cloth or yarn) · gld сингакта (hair of sheep, etc.) · lzz მონტკორი (hair of sheep, etc.) · bg пре́жда (cloth or yarn) · ar صُوف (cloth or yarn) · tpi wul (hair of sheep, etc.) · fr laine (hair of sheep, etc.) · ruq lǫnă (hair of sheep, etc.) · hi ऊनी (anything with a texture like that of wool) · bg въ́лна (hair of sheep, etc.) · ba йөн (hair of sheep, etc.) · sl volna (hair of sheep, etc.) · my သိုးမွေး (hair of sheep, etc.) · cmn 羊毛 (hair of sheep, etc.) · sva მა̈ტყ (hair of sheep, etc.) · af wol (hair of sheep, etc.) · sv ull (hair of sheep, etc.) · fax lan (Mañegu, Valverdeñu) (hair of sheep, etc.) · de Wolle (cloth or yarn) · rsk волна (hair of sheep, etc.) · qu millwa (hair of sheep, etc.) · br gloanaj (cloth or yarn) · ug كۈزەم (hair of sheep, etc.) · grc ἔριον (cloth or yarn) · sk priadza (cloth or yarn) · roa-opt lãa (hair of sheep, etc.) · gd clòimh (cloth or yarn) · as উণ (hair of sheep, etc.) · ky жүн (hair of sheep, etc.) · rm làna (hair of sheep, etc.) · dlm luona (hair of sheep, etc.) · ja 羊毛 (hair of sheep, etc.) · gd clòimh (hair of sheep, etc.) · ml കമ്പിളി (hair of sheep, etc.) · rup lãnã (hair of sheep, etc.) · syl ꠃꠟ (hair of sheep, etc.) · be пра́жа (cloth or yarn) · th สักหลาด (cloth or yarn) · mg volonondry (hair of sheep, etc.) · ru шерсть (hair of sheep, etc.) · co lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · th ผ้าขนสัตว์ (cloth or yarn) · km រោមចៀម (hair of sheep, etc.) · tg пашм (hair of sheep, etc.) · az yun (hair of sheep, etc.) · nv aghaaʼ (cloth or yarn) · gl la (hair of sheep, etc.) · sh predja (cloth or yarn) · te బొచ్చు (hair of sheep, etc.) · cs příze (cloth or yarn) · rsk волна (cloth or yarn) · lv dzija (cloth or yarn) · hu gyapjú (cloth or yarn) · os фӕсм (hair of sheep, etc.) · pl przędza (cloth or yarn) · sh ву̏на (hair of sheep, etc.) · nv Shádiʼááhdę́ę́ʼ tłʼízí bighaaʼ (hair of sheep, etc.) · wa linne (hair of sheep, etc.) · oc lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · gd olann (hair of sheep, etc.) · ja 羊毛 (cloth or yarn) · lt vilnonas (cloth or yarn) · nl wol (cloth or yarn) · vec łana (hair of sheep, etc.) · uk шерсть (hair of sheep, etc.) · gmy 𐀔𐀪 (cloth or yarn) · km ឧណ្ណា (hair of sheep, etc.) · ro lână (cloth or yarn) · tt йон (hair of sheep, etc.) · it lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · cmn 羊毛 (cloth or yarn) · gez ፀምር (hair of sheep, etc.) · th ขน (hair of sheep, etc.) · ru пря́жа (cloth or yarn) · ko 털실 (hair of sheep, etc.) · ko 털실 (cloth or yarn) · ca llana (hair of sheep, etc.) · ur اُون (hair of sheep, etc.) · mk во́лна (hair of sheep, etc.) · udi ха (hair of sheep, etc.) · hy բուրդ (cloth or yarn) · pt lã (cloth or yarn) · yi וואָל (hair of sheep, etc.) · ug يۇڭ (hair of sheep, etc.) · ast llana (hair of sheep, etc.) · ur اُون (cloth or yarn) · hu gyapjú (hair of sheep, etc.) · lv vilna (hair of sheep, etc.) · sq lesh (hair of sheep, etc.) · br gloanenn (cloth or yarn) · bal پژم (hair of sheep, etc.) · ug يۇڭ (cloth or yarn) · sco oo (hair of sheep, etc.) · bn ঊণ (hair of sheep, etc.) · ru шерсть (cloth or yarn) · vi lông (hair of sheep, etc.) · nn ull (hair of sheep, etc.) · sh vȕna (hair of sheep, etc.) · kls paṣ (hair of sheep, etc.) · uk во́вна (hair of sheep, etc.) · or ଉଲ (hair of sheep, etc.) · rm lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · arz صوف (hair of sheep, etc.) · fi villa (hair of sheep, etc.) · got 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌰 (hair of sheep, etc.) · la lāna (hair of sheep, etc.) · ckb خوری (hair of sheep, etc.) · khw پوݰپ (hair of sheep, etc.) · cmn 毛線 /毛线 (cloth or yarn) · te ఉన్ని (cloth or yarn) · es lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · ha ulu (cloth or yarn) · sw sufu (hair of sheep, etc.) · et vill (hair of sheep, etc.) · uz jun (hair of sheep, etc.) · mi wūru (hair of sheep, etc.) · rm launa (hair of sheep, etc.) · kk жүн (hair of sheep, etc.) · nrf laine (cloth or yarn) · ar صُوف (hair of sheep, etc.) · prs پَشْم (hair of sheep, etc.) · tk ýüň (hair of sheep, etc.) · os фист (hair of sheep, etc.) · nv hakʼaz ayání bighaaʼ (hair of sheep, etc.) · nrf laine (hair of sheep, etc.) · ast llana (cloth or yarn) · mn ᠨᠣᠣᠰᠤ (hair of sheep, etc.) · lo ຂົນສັດ (cloth or yarn) · pl wełna (hair of sheep, etc.) · sk vlna (hair of sheep, etc.) · nb ull (hair of sheep, etc.) · sh prtilica (cloth or yarn) · dsb wałma (hair of sheep, etc.) · ms wul (hair of sheep, etc.) · de Wolle (hair of sheep, etc.) · hy բուրդ (hair of sheep, etc.) · ia lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · el μαλλί (cloth or yarn) · fur lane (hair of sheep, etc.) · bn মেষলোম (hair of sheep, etc.) · eu artile (hair of sheep, etc.) · tl lana (hair of sheep, etc.) · mt suf (hair of sheep, etc.) · rm langa (hair of sheep, etc.)