A skein of cotton yarn is formed by eighty turns of the thread round a fifty-four inch reel.
2. (Wagon Making) A metallic strengthening band or thimble on the wooden arm of an axle. Knight.
Skein
(Skein), n. (Zoöl.) A flight of wild fowl [Prov. Eng.]
Skeine
(Skeine) n. See Skean.
Skelder
(Skel"der) v. t. & i. [Etymol. uncertain.] To deceive; to cheat; to trick. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Skelder
(Skel"der), n. A vagrant; a cheat. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Skeldrake
(Skel"drake` or Skiel"drake`) , n. (Zoöl.) (a) The common European sheldrake. (b) The
oyster catcher.
Skelet
(Skel"et) n. A skeleton. See Scelet.
Skeletal
(Skel"e*tal) a. Pertaining to the skeleton.
Skeletogenous
(Skel`e*tog"e*nous) a. [Skeleton + -genous.] Forming or producing parts of the skeleton.
Skeletology
(Skel`e*tol"o*gy) n. [Skeleton + -logy.] That part of anatomy which treats of the skeleton; also,
a treatise on the skeleton.
Skeleton
(Skel"e*ton) n. [NL., fr. Gr. (sc. ) a dried body, a mummy, fr. dried up, parched, to dry, dry
up, parch.]
1. (Anat.) (a) The bony and cartilaginous framework which supports the soft parts of a vertebrate
animal. [See Illust. of the Human Skeleton, in Appendix.] (b) The more or less firm or hardened framework
of an invertebrate animal.
In a wider sense, the skeleton includes the whole connective-tissue framework with the integument and
its appendages. See Endoskeleton, and Exoskeleton.
2. Hence, figuratively: (a) A very thin or lean person. (b) The framework of anything; the principal parts
that support the rest, but without the appendages.
The great skeleton of the world.
Sir M. Hale. (c) The heads and outline of a literary production, especially of a sermon.
Skeleton
(Skel"e*ton), a. Consisting of, or resembling, a skeleton; consisting merely of the framework or
outlines; having only certain leading features of anything; as, a skeleton sermon; a skeleton crystal.
Skeleton bill, a bill or draft made out in blank as to the amount or payee, but signed by the acceptor.
[Eng.] — Skeleton key, a key with nearly the whole substance of the web filed away, to adapt it to
avoid the wards of a lock; a master key; — used for opening locks to which it has not been especially
fitted. — Skeleton leaf, a leaf from which the pulpy part has been removed by chemical means, the
fibrous part alone remaining. — Skeleton proof, a proof of a print or engraving, with the inscription
outlined in hair strokes only, such proofs being taken before the engraving is finished. — Skeleton
regiment, a regiment which has its complement of officers, but in which there are few enlisted men.
— Skeleton shrimp (Zoöl.), a small crustacean of the genus Caprella. See Illust. under Læmodipoda.
Skeletonize
(Skel"e*ton*ize) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Skeletonized ; p. pr. & vb. n. Skeletonizing ] To
prepare a skeleton of; also, to reduce, as a leaf, to its skeleton. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
