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cotton definition

cot·ton (kät′'n)

noun

  1. the soft, white seed hairs filling the seedpods of various shrubby plants (genus Gossypium) of the mallow family, originally native to the tropics
  2. a plant or plants producing this material
  3. the crop of such plants
  4. thread or cloth made of cotton
  5. a downy, cottonlike substance growing on other plants

Etymology: ME cotoun < OFr coton < (? via It cotone) Ar quṭun < ? Egypt

adjective

of cotton
cotton Idioms

cotton to

Etymology: ? < notion of cotton mixing well with wool, etc.

Informal
  1. to become drawn to; take a liking to
  2. Chiefly Brit. to become aware of (a situation)
    also cotton on to

cotton up to

Informal to try to ingratiate oneself, or make friends, with
Cotton definition

Cot·ton (kät′'n)

Cotton, John 1584-1652; Am. Puritan clergyman, born in England: grandfather of Cotton Mather

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

finance cotton definition - finance

cotton Synonyms

cotton

n.

  1. gossypium (Latin), cloth, cotton shrub, King Cotton*.

    Varieties of cotton include: long-staple, short-staple, upland, Sea Island, Barbadense (Latin), Nankin, Peruvian, Brazil, Bahia, Egyptian, Pima, kidney.

  2. Varieties of cloth made out of cotton include: lawn, batiste, chintz, organdy, dotted swiss, voile, cambric, calico, chambray, broadcloth, denim, lisle, ticking, net, muslin, crinoline, flannelette, gingham, jersey, piqué, eyelet batiste, monkscloth, poplin, velveteen, gabardine, crepe, twill, canvas, percale, balloon cloth, toweling, terry cloth, sailcloth, cheesecloth, shirting, theatrical gauze;


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cotton Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • mercerise: Made from 100 % fine combed cotton and finished with a fine textured band and hem in mercerised cotton.

Adjective modifier

  • unbleached: Made from unbleached, pure cotton with a coated wire top.

Modifies a noun

  • wool: Avoid letting cotton wool come in to contact with skin under the blister.

Noun used with modifier

  • Bt: GM food excites imagination more than GM cash crops like Bt cotton.
cotton usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

cotton quotes

Politics are much discussed, so are banks, so is cotton. Quiet peopleavoid the question of the Presidency†the great constitutional feature of this institution being, that directly theacrimonyof the last election is over, the next one begins.

-Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

The evil of it is, that it is a world wrapped up in too much jeweller's cotton and fine wool, and cannot hear the rushingofthelarger worlds, and cannot seethemasthey circle round the sun. It is a deadened world, and its growth is sometimes unhealthy for want of air.

-Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

Summer time an'the livin' is easy, Fish are jumpin'an'the cotton is high. Oh, yo'daddy's rich, and yo'ma isgood-lookin', So hush, little baby, don' yo'cry.

-Heyward, Du Bose

cotton quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"cotton." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/cotton>

APA Style

cotton. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/cotton

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