silk

plural silks

1. uncountableA fine fiber excreted by the silkworm or other arthropod (such as a spider).

   We harvested a load of silk from the silkworm farm.

2. countableuncountableA thread or yarn made from silk fibers.

   This is sewn from silk.

3. countableuncountableA fine, soft cloth woven from silk yarn or thread.

   I'll buy a couple yards of silk.

   1 more example

   It was flood-tide along Fifth Avenue; motor, brougham, and victoria swept by on the glittering current; pretty women glanced out from limousine and tonneau; young men of his own type, silk-hatted, frock-coated, the crooks of their walking sticks tucked up under their left arms, passed on the Park side.

   1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “His Own People”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 6

   1. countablein pluraluncountableartsA pair of long silk sheets suspended in the air on which a performer performs tricks.

      She's a master with the silks.

   2. countableuncountableA parachute.
4. countableuncountableAn article of clothing made from silk cloth.

   He's wearing his silk.

   1. countableplural normallyuncountablehobbiesThe garments worn by a jockey displaying the colors of the horse's owner.
   2. countableuncountableThe gown worn by a Senior (i.e., Queen's/King's) Counsel.
   3. colloquialcountablefigurativelymetonymicallyuncountableA Queen's Counsel, King's Counsel or Senior Counsel.
5. countableuncountableAnything which resembles silk, such as the filiform styles of the female flower of maize or the seed covering of bombaxes.

   Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety. She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.

   1963, Margery Allingham, “Dangerous Lady”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 36

present singular third person silks · participle present silking · participle past silked · past silked

1. intransitiveagricultureTo develop silk.
2. transitivecookingTo remove the silk from (corn).

   While we shucked and silked the corn, we talked, sang old nursery rhymes […]

   2013, Lynetra T. Griffin, From Whence We Came, page 17

plural Silks

1. A surname originating as an occupation for a seller of silk.