| thread | 1. A very small twist of flax, wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or joined together, and twisted. 2. A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous substance, as of bark; also, a line of gold or silver. 3. The prominent part of the spiral of a screw or nut; the rib. See Screw. 4. Something continued in a long course or tenor; a,s the thread of life, or of a discourse. 5. Composition; quality; fineness. "A neat courtier, Of a most elegant thread." (B. Jonson) Air thread, the fine white filaments which are seen floating in the air in summer, the production of spiders; gossamer. Thread and thrum, the good and bad together. <zoology> Thread cell, the gizzard shad. See Gizzard. Thread lace, lace made of linen thread. Thread needle, a game in which children stand in a row, joining hands, and in which the outer one, still holding his neighbor, runs between the others; called also thread the needle. Origin: OE. Threed, red, AS. Rd; akin to D. Draad, G. Draht wire, thread, OHG. Drat, Icel. Rar a thread, Sw. Trad, Dan. Traad, and AS. Rawan to twist. See Throw, and cf. Third. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| threadfin | <zoology> Any one of several species of fishes belonging to Polynemus and allied genera. They have numerous long pectoral filaments. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| threadfish | <zoology> The cutlass fish. A carangoid fish (Caranx gallus, or C. Crinitus) having the anterior rays of the soft dorsal and anal fins prolonged in the form of long threads. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| threadworm | <biology, microbiology, zoology> Small nematode, Enterobius vermicularis, that is responsible for intestinal infection in humans. It appears as a small thread-like worm approximately 3-5mm in length. Common symptoms include anal itching that is worse at night when the female worm migrates to the anus to lay its eggs. Thin, white, thread-like worms may be visible at the anal opening or in the stools. The tape test can be performed by placing the sticky side of the tape across the anal opening for several seconds. The tape is then transferred to a glass slide where eggs may be seen through the microscope. (27 Sep 1997) |
| thready pulse | A small fine pulse, feeling like a small cord or thread under the finger. Synonym: pulsus filiformis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infection thread | In the formation of root nodules, a cellulosic tube through which Rhizobium cells can travel to reach and infect root cells. (09 Oct 1997) |
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| terminal thread | A long, slender connective tissue (pia mater) strand extending from the extremity of the medullary cone to the internal aspect of the spinal dural sac (filum terminale internum); stout strands of connective tissue attaching the spinal dural sac to the coccyx (filum terminale externum), commonly called the coccygeal ligament. Synonym: filum terminale, nervus impar, terminal thread. (05 Mar 2000) |