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(kt"t'n), n.[F. coton, Sp. algodon the cotton plant and its wool, coton printed cotton, cloth, fr. Ar. qutun, alqutun, cotton wool. Cf. Acton, Hacqueton.] 1. A soft, downy substance, resembling fine wool, consisting of the unicellular twisted hairs which grow on the seeds of the cotton plant. Long-staple cotton has a fiber sometimes almost two inches long; short-staple, from two thirds of an inch to an inch and a half. 2. The cotton plant. See Cotten plant, below. 3. Cloth made of cotton. Cotton is used as an adjective before many nouns in a sense which commonly needs no explanation; as, cotton bagging; cotton cloth; cotton goods; cotton industry; cotton mill; cotton spinning; cotton tick. Cotton cambric. See Cambric, n., 2. Cotton flannel, the manufactures' name for a heavy cotton fabric, twilled, and with a long plush nap. In England it is called swan's-down cotton, or Canton flannel. Cotton gin, a machine to separate the seeds from cotton, invented by Eli Whitney. Cotton g Cot"ton v. i. 1. To rise with a regular nap, as cloth does. [Obs.] It cottons well; it can not choose but bear A pretty nap. Family of Love. 2. To go on prosperously; to succeed. [Obs.] New, Hephestion, does not this matter cotton as I would? Lyly. 3. To unite; to agree; to make friends; -- usually followed by with. [Colloq.] A quarrel will end in one of you being turned off, in which case it will not be easy to cotton with another. Swift. Didst see, Frank, how the old goldsmith cottoned in with his beggarly companion? Sir W. Scott. 4. To take a liking to; to stick to one as cotton; -- used with to. [Slang] スポンサード リンク
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