Tassel

Tassel
Tassel Tas"sel, n. [OE., a fastening of a mantle, OF. tassel a fastening, clasp, F. tasseau a bracket, Fr. L. taxillus a little die, dim. of talus a die of a longish shape, rounded on two sides and marked only on the other four, a knuckle bone.] 1. A pendent ornament, attached to the corners of cushions, to curtains, and the like, ending in a tuft of loose threads or cords. [1913 Webster]

2. The flower or head of some plants, esp. when pendent. [1913 Webster]

And the maize field grew and ripened, Till it stood in all the splendor Of its garments green and yellow, Of its tassels and its plumage. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]

3. A narrow silk ribbon, or the like, sewed to a book to be put between the leaves. [1913 Webster]

4. (Arch.) A piece of board that is laid upon a wall as a sort of plate, to give a level surface to the ends of floor timbers; -- rarely used in the United States. [1913 Webster]

{Tassel flower} (Bot.), a name of several composite plants of the genus {Cineraria}, especially the {Cineraria sconchifolia}, and of the blossoms which they bear. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Tassel — Tas sel, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Tasseled}or {Tasselled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tasseling} or {Tasselling}.] To put forth a tassel or flower; as, maize tassels. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tassel — (n.) c.1300, mantle fastener, from O.Fr. tassel a fastening, clasp (mid 12c.), from V.L. *tassellus, said to be from L. taxillus small die or cube, a dim. of talus knucklebone, ankle (see TALUS (Cf. talus) (1)). But OED finds this doubtful and… …   Etymology dictionary

  • tassel — tassel1 [tas′əl] n. [ME < OFr, knob, knot, button < VL * tassellus, altered < L taxillus, a small die (akin to talus, ankle), based on L tessella, small cube, piece of mosaic] 1. Obs. a clasp or fibula 2. an ornamental tuft of threads,… …   English World dictionary

  • Tassel — Tas sel, n. (Falconry) A male hawk. See {Tercel}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tassel — Tas sel, n. [See {Teasel}.] A kind of bur used in dressing cloth; a teasel. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tassel — Tas sel, v. t. To adorn with tassels. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tassel — The inflected forms are tasselled, tasselling in BrE and in AmE usually tasseled, tasseling …   Modern English usage

  • tassel — ► NOUN 1) a tuft of hanging threads, knotted together at one end and used for decoration in soft furnishing and clothing. 2) the tufted head of some plants. DERIVATIVES tasselled adjective. ORIGIN Old French, clasp …   English terms dictionary

  • Tassel — For other uses, see hilt and maize. A tassel is a binding of plaited or otherwise gathered threads from which at one end protrudes a cord on which the tassel is hung, and which may have loose, dangling threads at the other end. Tassels are… …   Wikipedia

  • tassel — I. noun Etymology: Middle English, clasp, tassel, from Anglo French, from Vulgar Latin *tassellus, alteration of Latin taxillus small die; akin to Latin talus anklebone, die Date: 14th century 1. a dangling ornament made by laying parallel a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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