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Woolen vs Worsted - What's the difference?

woolen | worsted |

As adjectives the difference between woolen and worsted

is that woolen is (us) made of wool while worsted is defeated, overcome.

As nouns the difference between woolen and worsted

is that woolen is an item of clothing made from wool while worsted is yarn made from long strands of wool.

As a verb worsted is

(worst).

woolen

English

Alternative forms

* woollen (UK ) * wollen

Adjective

(-)
  • (US) Made of wool.
  • (US) Of or relating to wool or woolen cloths.
    • woolen''' manufactures; a '''woolen''' mill; a '''woolen draper

    Derived terms

    * wool

    Related terms

    * wooly (US''), woolly (''UK )

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An item of clothing made from wool
    • Put all the woolens in this basket.

    worsted

    English

    (wikipedia worsted)

    Etymology 1

    Named after Worsted (now (Worstead)), a town in Norfolk, England.

    Noun

  • Yarn made from long strands of wool.
  • *
    • "Yes, young people are usually blind to everything but their own wishes, and seldom imagine how much those wishes cost others," said Mrs. Garth She did not mean to go beyond this salutary general doctrine, and threw her indignation into a needless unwinding of her worsted , knitting her brow at it with a grand air.
  • The fine, smooth fabric made from such wool yarn.
  • * 1902 , (Joseph Conrad), The Heart of Darkness.
    • He had tied a bit of white worsted round his neck -- Why? Where did he get it? Was it a badge -- an ornament -- a charm -- a propitiatory act? Was there any idea at all connected with it?
    Hyponyms
    * (fine wool fabric) gabardine, serge, tamin, whipcord

    Etymology 2

    Participle adjective of the verb (worst).

    Verb

    (head)
  • (worst)

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Defeated, overcome.
  • * 1869 , (Louisa May Alcott), Little Women.
    • Jo carried her love of liberty and hate of conventionalities to such an unlimited extent that she naturally found herself worsted in an argument.