dye in the wool
English
Verb
dye in the wool (third-person singular simple present dyes in the wool, present participle dying in the wool, simple past and past participle dyed in the wool)
- (fabrication) To dye woolen fibers before they are spun into thread.
- 1838, The Saturday magazine, volume XII, page 108
- The circumstance mentioned in the last two lines shows that it was usual to dye in the wool, as is sometimes done in England.
- 1896, House Beautiful, page 20
- Next comes the dyeing; though when indigo is used, it is better to dye "in the wool" before carding.
- 1957, Mary E. Black, New Key to Weaving: A Textbook of Hand Weaving for the Beginning Weaver, page 505:
- Therefore, it will be seen that it is easier and a timesaver to "dye-in-the-wool."
- 1838, The Saturday magazine, volume XII, page 108
Related terms
- dyed-in-the-wool