tissue

plural tissues

1. countableuncountableThin, woven, gauzelike fabric.

   The face which emerged was not reassuring. It was blunt and grey, the nose springing thick and flat from high on the frontal bone of the forehead, whilst his eyes were narrow slits of dark in a tight bandage of tissue.

   1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 214

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   Madame Legarde, the "glass of fashion and the nurse of form," (alias the most fashionable of milliners,) has comfortably assured me, "that my figure has great merit, and only requires cultivation:" this is to be done by tissues, brocades, and laces, which are now scattered round me in charming confusion.

   1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 65–66

2. countableuncountableA fine transparent silk material, used for veils, etc.; specifically, cloth interwoven with gold or silver threads, or embossed with figures.

   In their glittering tissues bear emblazed / Holy memorials.

   1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

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   A Robe of Tiſſue, ſtiff with golden Wire; / An upper Veſt, once Hellen’s rich Attire; [...]

   1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 228, lines 915–916

   Corinius went on the right, wearing a rich cloak of sky-blue tissue over his shining armour.

   1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 20

3. countableuncountableA sheet of absorbent paper, especially one that is made to be used as tissue paper, toilet paper or a handkerchief.

   Prosecutor Kevin Lucie told the court that Thomas, who was seen dabbing his eyes with a tissue at one point during the hearing, slashed an adrift boat with a knife and said: "You are on English territory. This is England. This is not France any more."

   2026 September 25, Steve Humphrey, “Daniel Thomas pleads not guilty after dinghy slashed”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 25 Sep 2026, retrieved 26 Sep 2026

4. countableuncountableAbsorbent paper as material.
5. countableuncountablebiologyA group of cells (along with their extracellular matrix if any) that are similar in origin and function together to perform a specific job.

   What they lack is outermost brain tissue that, at least in humans, prompts awareness and interpretation.

   2014, Robert K. Bolger, Scott Korb, Gesturing Toward Reality: David Foster Wallace and Philosophy

6. countableuncountableWeb; texture; complicated fabrication; connected series.

   a tissue of forgeries, or of lies

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   unwilling to leave the dry bones of Agnosticism wholly unclothed with any living tissue of religious emotion

   1888, A. J. Balfour, The Religion of Humanity

7. countableslanguncountablehobbiesThe scratch sheet or racing form.

   Lenehan came ourt of the inner office with Sport's tissues. —Who wants a dead cert for the Gold cup? he asked.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 7: Aeolus]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 123

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   Pricing the first show is a matter of the bookmaker's individual judgment, relying upon advice from all quarters, particularly the tissue; but very soon in the betting exchanges it becomes clear that the sole criterion for the fixing of a horse's price is demand.

   2016, Gerald Hammond, The Language of Horse Racing

8. TasmaniacountableinformaluncountableA cigarette paper.
9. countablefigurativelyuncountableAnything that is light, thin, and delicate.

present singular third person tissues · participle present tissuing · participle past tissued · past tissued

1. transitiveTo form tissue of; to interweave.

   The Chariot was couered with Cloth of Gold tiſſued vpon blew.

   1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, page 28

2. informalmedicineTo have the contents of an injection or intravenous drip leak into the tissue as a result of a ruptured or punctured vein.