from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Loam \Loam\ (l[=o]m), n. [AS. l[=a]m; akin to D. leem, G. lehm,
and E. lime. See 4th {Lime}.]
1. A kind of soil; an earthy mixture of clay and sand, with
organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due.
[1913 Webster]
We wash a wall of loam; we labor in vain. --Hooker.
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2. (Founding) A mixture of sand, clay, and other materials,
used in making molds for large castings, often without a
pattern.
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{Loam mold} (Founding), a mold made with loam. See {Loam},
n., 2.
{Loam molding}, the process or business of making loam molds.
{Loam plate}, an iron plate upon which a section of a loam
mold rests, or from which it is suspended.
{Loam work}, loam molding or loam molds.
[1913 Webster]