2. A single turn of the thread round a needle in knitting; a
link, or loop, of yarn; as, to let down, or drop, a
stitch; to take up a stitch.
3. [Cf. OE. sticche, stecche, stucche, a piece, AS. stycce.
Cf. {Stock}.] A space of work taken up, or gone over, in a
single pass of the needle; hence, by extension, any space
passed over; distance.
You have gone a good stitch. --Bunyan.
In Syria the husbandmen go lightly over with their
plow, and take no deep stitch in making their
furrows. --Holland.
4. A local sharp pain; an acute pain, like the piercing of a
needle; as, a stitch in the side.
He was taken with a cold and with stitches, which
was, indeed, a pleurisy. --Bp. Burnet.
5. A contortion, or twist. [Obs.]
If you talk, Or pull your face into a stitch again,
I shall be angry. --Marston.
6. Any least part of a fabric or dress; as, to wet every
stitch of clothes. [Colloq.]
{Chain stitch}, {Lock stitch}. See in the Vocabulary.
{Pearl}, or {Purl stitch}. See 2nd {Purl}, 2.
{Pearl stitch}. See {Purl stitch}, under {Purl}.
2. Hence, figuratively, something resembling a pearl;
something very precious.
I see thee compassed with thy kingdom's pearl.
--Shak.
And those pearls of dew she wears. --Milton.
4. (Zo["o]l.) A fish allied to the turbot; the brill.
5. (Zo["o]l.) A light-colored tern.
6. (Zo["o]l.) One of the circle of tubercles which form the
bur on a deer's antler.
7. A whitish speck or film on the eye. [Obs.] --Milton.
8. A capsule of gelatin or similar substance containing some
liquid for medicinal application, as ether.
9. (Print.) A size of type, between agate and diamond. [hand]
This line is printed in the type called pearl.
{Ground pearl}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Ground}.
{Pearl barley}, kernels of barley, ground so as to form
small, round grains.
{Pearl diver}, one who dives for pearl oysters.
{Pearl edge}, an edge of small loops on the side of some
kinds of ribbon; also, a narrow kind of thread edging to
be sewed on lace.
{Pearl gray}, a very pale and delicate blue-gray color.
{Pearl millet}, Egyptian millet ({Penicillaria spicata}).
{Pearl moss}. See {Carrageen}.
{Pearl moth} (Zo["o]l.), any moth of the genus {Margaritia};
-- so called on account of its pearly color.
{Pearl oyster} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
large tropical marine bivalve mollusks of the genus
{Meleagrina}, or {Margaritifera}, found in the East Indies
(especially at Ceylon), in the Persian Gulf, on the coast
of Australia, and on the Pacific coast of America. Called
also {pearl shell}, and {pearl mussel}.
{Pearl powder}. See {Pearl white}, below.
{Pearl sago}, sago in the form of small pearly grains.
{Pearl sinter} (Min.), fiorite.
{Pearl spar} (Min.), a crystallized variety of dolomite,
having a pearly luster.
{Pearl white}.
(a) Basic bismuth nitrate, or bismuth subchloride; -- used
chiefly as a cosmetic.
(b) A variety of white lead blued with indigo or Berlin
blue.
2. To cause to resemble pearls; to make into small round
grains; as, to pearl barley.
2. To give or hunt for pearls; as, to go pearling.