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sheath

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The definition of a sheath is a case for a knife or blade, or a tube-shaped structure that wraps around for protection, or a close-fitting dress.

(noun)

An example of a sheath is a case for a sword.
An example of a sheath is the tissue that protects a muscle fiber.
An example of a sheath is a curve hugging cocktail dress.

See sheath in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. sheaths

a case for the blade of a knife, sword, etc.
a covering or receptacle resembling this, as the membrane around a muscle, a leaf base enveloping a stem of grass, etc.
a woman's closefitting dress
Brit. condom

Origin: ME schethe < OE sceath, akin to Ger scheide < IE base *skei-, to cut, split, divide (> L scire, to know): the earliest form of sheath was prob. a split stick

transitive verb

sheathe

See sheath in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. sheaths sheaths (shēÞz, shēths)

a. A case for a blade, as of a sword.
b. Any of various similar coverings.
Biology An enveloping tubular structure, such as the base of a grass leaf that surrounds the stem or the tissue that encloses a muscle or nerve fiber.
A close-fitting dress.
A condom.