Cloths

Cloth \Cloth\ (kl[o^]th; 115), n.; pl. {Cloths} (kl[o^][th]z;
   115), except in the sense of garments, when it is {Clothes}
   (kl[=o]thz or kl[=o]z). [OE. clath cloth, AS. cl[=a][thorn]
   cloth, garment; akin to D. kleed, Icel. kl[ae][eth]i, Dan.
   kl[ae]de, cloth, Sw. kl[aum]de, G. kleid garment, dress.]
   1. A fabric made of fibrous material (or sometimes of wire,
      as in wire cloth); commonly, a woven fabric of cotton,
      woolen, or linen, adapted to be made into garments;
      specifically, woolen fabrics, as distinguished from all
      others.
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   2. The dress; raiment. [Obs.] See {Clothes}.
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            I'll ne'er distust my God for cloth and bread.
                                                  --Quarles.
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   3. The distinctive dress of any profession, especially of the
      clergy; hence, the clerical profession.
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            Appeals were made to the priesthood. Would they
            tamely permit so gross an insult to be offered to
            their cloth?                          --Macaulay.
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            The cloth, the clergy, are constituted for
            administering and for giving the best possible
            effect to . . . every axiom.          --I. Taylor.
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   {Body cloth}. See under {Body}.

   {Cloth of gold}, a fabric woven wholly or partially of
      threads of gold.

   {Cloth measure}, the measure of length and surface by which
      cloth is measured and sold. For this object the standard
      yard is usually divided into quarters and nails.

   {Cloth paper}, a coarse kind of paper used in pressing and
      finishing woolen cloth. -- Cloth

   {shearer}, one who shears cloth and frees it from superfluous
      nap.
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