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wool

1. The soft and curled, or crisped, species of hair which grows on sheep and some other animals, and which in fineness sometimes approaches to fur; chiefly applied to the fleecy coat of the sheep, which constitutes a most essential material of clothing in all cold and temperate climates.

Wool consists essentially of keratin.

2. Short, thick hair, especially when crisped or curled. Wool of bat and tongue of dog. (Shak)

3. (Science: botany) A sort of pubescence, or a clothing of dense, curling hairs on the surface of certain plants. Dead pulled wool, wool pulled from a carcass. Mineral wool. See Mineral. Philosopher's wool.

(Science: chemistry) See zinc oxide, under Zinc. Pulled wool, wool pulled from a pelt, or undressed hide. Slag wool. Same as mineral wool. Wool ball, a ball or mass of wool. Wool burler, one who removes little burs, knots, or extraneous matter, from wool, or the surface of woolen cloth. Wool comber. One whose occupation is to comb wool. A machine for combing wool.

(Science: botany) Wool grass, a disease, resembling malignant pustule, occurring among those who handle the wool of goats and sheep. Wool staple, a city or town where wool used to be brought to the king's staple for sale. Wool stapler. One who deals in wool. One who sorts wool according to its staple, or its adaptation to different manufacturing pur 600 poses. Wool winder, a person employed to wind, or make up, wool into bundles to be packed for sale.

Origin: OE. Wolle, wulle, AS. Wull; akin to D. Wol, OHG. Wolla, G. Wolle, Icel. & Sw. Ull, Dan. Uld, Goth, wulla, Lith. Vilna, Russ. Volna, L. Vellus, Skr. Rn wool, to cover, . Cf. Flannel, Velvet.