flannel

flannel
/flan"l/, n., v., flanneled, flanneling or (esp. Brit.), flannelled, flannelling.
n.
1. a soft, slightly napped fabric of wool or wool and another fiber, used for trousers, jackets, shirts, etc.
2. a soft, warm, light fabric of cotton or cotton and another fiber, thickly napped on one side and used for sleepwear, undergarments, sheets, etc.
3. flannels,
a. an outer garment, esp. trousers, made of flannel.
b. woolen undergarments.
4. Brit.
a. a washcloth.
b. Informal. nonsense; humbug; empty talk.
c. Informal. flattery; insincere or overdone praise.
v.t.
5. to cover or clothe with flannel.
6. to rub with flannel.
[1300-50; ME flaunneol, perh. dissimilated var. of flanyn sackcloth < Welsh; cf. Welsh gwlanen woolen article, equiv. to gwlân WOOL (akin to L lana) + -en suffix denoting a single item (as a piece of a mass noun or sing. of a collective pl.)]

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▪ fabric
      fabric made in plain or twill weave, usually with carded yarns. It is napped, most often on both sides, the degree of napping ranging from slight to so heavy that the twill weave is obscured. Fibre composition and amount of napping are dependent on the intended use. Flannel is a relatively warm fabric, since still air is held in the fabric because of the napping. Addition of a man-made fibre to the blend increases the resistance to abrasion and hence may lengthen the life of the fabric. Furthermore, some of these blends help to prevent stretching, so that a better fit is maintained. Crease retention is improved with some blends such as acrylic fibre.

      For outerwear, generally wool or blends with wool, or blends of man-made fibres, are used in an even-twill weave. With an all-wool flannel fabric excellent tailored garments can be produced; felting shrinkage can be prevented by blending with various man-made fibres, and washable men's suits are produced through blending wool with acrylic, nylon, or polyester fibres.

      Cotton flannels are made with soft-spun filling yarns. There are various types, according to use, with many generic names; for example, flannelette, a lightweight fabric napped on one side only, and suede cloth, which has an extremely short, compact nap treated to give a smooth, flat texture.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Flannel — is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness. It usually doesn t have a nap, and instead gains its softness through the loosely spun yarn it is woven from. It is commonly used to make clothing, bed sheets, and sleepwear.Flannel was originally made …   Wikipedia

  • Flannel — Flan nel (fl[a^]n n[e^]l), n. [F. flanelle, cf. OF. flaine a pillowcase, a mattress (?); fr. W. gwlanen flannel, fr. gwlan wool; prob. akin to E. wool. Cf. {Wool}.] 1. A soft, nappy, woolen cloth, of loose texture. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • flannel — [flan′əl] n. [ME, akin to or < flanen < Welsh gwlanen < gwlan, wool < IE base * wel , hair, WOOL] 1. a soft, lightweight, loosely woven woolen cloth with a slightly napped surface 2. COTTON FLANNEL 3. [pl.] a) trousers, etc. made of… …   English World dictionary

  • flannel — c.1500, probably from Welsh gwlanen woolen cloth, from gwlan wool, from Celtic *wlana, from PIE *wele wool. The Welsh origin is not a universally accepted etymology, due to the sound changes involved; some (Barnhart, Gamillscheg) suggest the… …   Etymology dictionary

  • flannel — has inflected forms flannelled, flannelling in BrE and flaneled flaneling in AmE. Flannelette, a napped cotton fabric imitating flannel, is spelt l in both varieties …   Modern English usage

  • flannel — ► NOUN 1) a kind of soft woven woollen or cotton fabric. 2) (flannels) men s trousers made of woollen flannel. 3) Brit. a small piece of towelling for washing oneself. 4) Brit. informal empty or flattering talk used to avoid dealing with a… …   English terms dictionary

  • flannel — [[t]flæ̱n(ə)l[/t]] flannels 1) N UNCOUNT: oft N n Flannel is a soft cloth, usually made of cotton or wool, that is used for making clothes. He wore a faded red flannel shirt. 2) N PLURAL: also a pair of N Flannels are men s trousers made of… …   English dictionary

  • flannel — noun (BrE) ⇨ See also ↑washcloth ADJECTIVE ▪ damp, wet ▪ cold ▪ face VERB + FLANNEL ▪ use …   Collocations dictionary

  • flannel — noun Etymology: Middle English flaunneol woolen cloth or garment Date: 1503 1. a. a soft twilled wool or worsted fabric with a loose texture and a slightly napped surface b. a napped cotton fabric of soft yarns simulating the texture of wool… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • flannel — /ˈflænəl / (say flanuhl) noun 1. a warm, soft fabric of wool or blends of wool and cotton, wool and rayon, or cotton warp with wool filling. 2. Especially WA, SA and Tasmania → face washer. 3. (plural) an outer garment, especially trousers, made… …  

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