" . . . ravell'd ___ of care": Shak.

• Filament of silk
• Tangle of ravelings
• Kind of silk
• " . . . the ravel'd ___ of care"
• Raveled silk
• "The ravel'd ___ of care"
• Small silk thread

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"to separate or divide" (threads, strands, fibers), Old English -slæfan , from stem of -slifan "to separate, split, cleave," from Proto-Germanic *slifanan , perhaps related to the root of slip (v.). Compare German Schleife "a loop, knot, noose." Related: ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sleave \Sleave\ (sl[=e]v), n. [Cf. Dan. sl["o]if, a knot loop, Sw. slejf, G. schleife a knot, sliding knot, and E. slip, v.i.] The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread. Silk not yet twisted; floss; -- called also sleave silk . Sleep that knits up ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread. 2 Silk not yet twisted; floss. vb. (context weaving English) To separate, as threads; to divide, as a collection of threads.