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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
flax
noun
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Growing alternative crops such as short rotation coppice as energy crops and fibre crops such as flax and hemp showed promise.
▪ It is the holder of prepared fleece or flax from which the spinner draws out strands.
▪ She agreed, and so they spun all the flax.
▪ She took the lazy girl to the castle and put her in three rooms filled with flax from floor to ceiling.
▪ The women spun the flax and were invited to the wedding as promised.
▪ They prospered and employed many poor in and near London to dress flax, until the Netherlanders brought in dressed flax.
▪ We lost the flax crop I wrote about a week ago.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Flax

Flax \Flax\ (fl[a^]ks), n. [AS. fleax; akin to D. vlas, OHG. flahs, G. flachs, and prob. to flechten to braid, plait,m twist, L. plectere to weave, plicare to fold, Gr. ? to weave, plait. See Ply.]

  1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Linum, esp. the L. usitatissimum, which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. The fiber of the bark is used for making thread and cloth, called linen, cambric, lawn, lace, etc. Linseed oil is expressed from the seed.

  2. The skin or fibrous part of the flax plant, when broken and cleaned by hatcheling or combing. Earth flax (Min.), amianthus. Flax brake, a machine for removing the woody portion of flax from the fibrous. Flax comb, a hatchel, hackle, or heckle. Flax cotton, the fiber of flax, reduced by steeping in bicarbonate of soda and acidulated liquids, and prepared for bleaching and spinning like cotton. --Knight. Flax dresser, one who breaks and swingles flax, or prepares it for the spinner. Flax mill, a mill or factory where flax is spun or linen manufactured. Flax puller, a machine for pulling flax plants in the field. Flax wench.

    1. A woman who spins flax. [Obs.]

    2. A prostitute. [Obs.]
      --Shak.

      Mountain flax (Min.), amianthus.

      New Zealand flax (Bot.) See Flax-plant.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
flax

Old English fleax "flax plant; cloth made with flax, linen," from Proto-Germanic *flakhsan (cognates: Old Frisian flax, Middle Dutch and Dutch vlas, Old Saxon flas, Old High German flahs, German Flachs), probably from Proto-Germanic base *fleh- "to plait," corresponding to PIE *plek- "to weave, to plait" (see ply (v.1)). But some connect it with PIE *pleik- (see flay) from the notion of "stripping" fiber to prepare it.

Wiktionary
flax

n. 1 A plant of the genus ''Linum'', especially (taxlink Linum usitatissimum species noshow=1), which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. Also known as linseed, especially when referring to the seeds. 2 The fibers of ''Linum usitatissimum'', grown to make linen and related textiles. 3 The (vern: flax bush), a plant of the genus (taxlink Phormium genus noshow=1), native to New Zealand, with strap-like leaves up to 3 metres long that grow in clumps.

WordNet
flax
  1. n. fiber of the flax plant that is made into thread and woven into linen fabric

  2. plant of the genus Linum that is cultivated for its seeds and for the fibers of its stem

Wikipedia
Flax

Flax (also known as common flax or linseed), Linum usitatissimum, is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is a food and fiber crop cultivated in cooler regions of the world. The textiles made from flax are known in the Western countries as linen, and traditionally used for bed sheets, underclothes, and table linen. The oil is known as linseed oil. In addition to referring to the plant itself, the word "flax" may refer to the unspun fibers of the flax plant. The plant species is known only as a cultivated plant, and appears to have been domesticated just once from the wild species Linum bienne, called pale flax.

Flax (disambiguation)

Flax may mean or refer to:

  • Species in the genus Linum, particularly:
    • Flax (Linum usitatissimum)
  • Hemp ( Cannabis sativa)
  • Flax (color)
  • Holly Flax, a fictional character from the American TV series The Office
  • Holy flax, Santolina rosmarinifolia
  • New Zealand flax, the two species in the genus Phormium:
    • Flax, Phormium tenax
    • Mountain flax, Phormium colensoi
  • Open source enterprise search software based on Xapian
  • Flax Art Supply Stores
Flax (color)

Flax or Flaxen is a pale yellowish-gray color named after flax seeds. An early use of "flaxen" to describe hair color appears in David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens: Mr. Omer's granddaughter, Minnie, is described as "a pretty little girl with long, flaxen, curling hair." The first recorded use of flax as a color name in English was in 1915.

Flax (moth)

Flax is a genus of moths of the Micronoctuidae family.

Usage examples of "flax".

The unexpected visitor strode past Flax, pausing in the main room to pivot on a burnished boot heel.

Drop and Flax sneezed simultaneously as a faint whiff of the spice mixture reached them.

With a final sneeze, Flax bade his guest good night, and shortly afterward, the household settled into peaceful slumber.

With a quiet word, Flax gestured, and the candles in the study kindled.

Flinging up his hands, he conjured a gust of murky flame that blasted toward Flax, but it was quenched in mid-flight by an equally fierce geyser of conjured water sent by the wizard.

While Skarn and Flax were totally absorbed in their duel by magic, Drop edged quietly toward the desk.

He succeeded just in time, for Skarn produced a wave of force that flung Flax bodily against a bookcase, temporarily dazing the wizard.

Still muttering to himself, Flax strode into the cottage, closely followed by Drop.

Tethering the horse near the door, Drop entered the cottage to find Flax busily packing.

These vital distractions occurred at the height of the magical duel between Flax and Skarn, who had come to steal a potion from the wizard.

Skarn was at once transformed into a warty, mouse-scented demon, which the recovered Flax promptly dispersed.

The wizard walked slowly, talking to the owl all the way outdoors to what Flax fondly called his garden shed.

Once the carriage was moderately presentable, Flax and Drop had to clean themselves before snatching a hasty lunch.

The packing process afterward was delayed only briefly while Flax considered what, if any, magical paraphernalia he should take on the trip.

Pausing only to locate their assigned rooms, Flax bustled the party back onto the street and strode rapidly away from the inn.