Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A metal ring or cap placed around a pole or shaft for reinforcement or to prevent splitting.
  • noun A bushing used to secure a pipe joint.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun See ferule.
  • noun A ring or cap of metal put on a column, post, or staff, as on the lower end of a cane or an umbrella, to strengthen it or prevent it from wearing or splitting.
  • noun A ring sliding on the shaft of a spear and holding firmly to it the long tangs of the head; also, a ring or socket protecting the butt-end of a spear-shaft. The latter was also used as a weapon, or, when of a chisel form, as a tool. Compare celt.
  • noun 3. In steam-boilers, a bushing for expanding the end of a flue.
  • noun 4. The frame of a slate.
  • noun 5 Anything like a ferrule (in sense 1) in form or position.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A ring or cap of metal put round a cane, tool, handle, or other similar object, to strengthen it, or prevent splitting and wearing.
  • noun (Machinery) Any of various circular or cylindrical metal objects used at joints in a tube, pipe, or rod, especially to assist making a tight seal at a joint.
  • noun (Steam Boilers) A bushing for expanding the end of a flue to fasten it tightly in the tube plate, or for partly filling up its mouth.
  • noun (Chemistry) A bushing used at the joints of metal tubing in HPLC equipment to make a tight seal.
  • noun (Fishing) One of several small rings at the top of a casting rod which holds the fishing line.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A metal band or cap placed around a shaft to reinforce it or to prevent splitting.
  • noun A bushing for securing a pipe joint.
  • noun A metal sleeve placed inside a gutter at the top.
  • noun In billiards, the plastic band attaching the tip to the cue.
  • noun In painting, the pinched metal band which holds the bristles of a brush to the shaft.
  • noun On an ice axe, the metal spike at the end of the shaft.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a metal cap or band placed on a wooden pole to prevent splitting

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration (influenced by Latin ferrum, iron) of Middle English verrele, from Old French virole, from Latin viriola, little bracelet, diminutive of viriae, bracelets; see wei- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • The ferrule is stainless steel, and the surgical. 03-inch blades cut a 1 1/8-inch channel.

    Three Hot Broadheads from 2007 2007

  • The elegant pairing of the NoC dip tube and the removable threaded ferrule which is hidden behind a ferrule cover, contributes to the creation of an aesthetically pleasing pack with an environmentally responsible feature.

    MWV Creates Sophisticated and Sustainable Solution for the Voyage d’Hermès Fragrance - Yahoo! Finance 2010

  • The knowledge is dispersed among many thousands of graphite miners, lumberjacks, assembly line workers, ferrule designers, salesmen and so on.

    From Phoenecia to Hayek to the 'Cloud' Matt Ridley 2011

  • Browse images of pencils by over 100 brands, or by pencil types (such as copying, long ferrule, over sized ferrule, and WWII-era).

    New on the Net-October 2008 2008

  • Browse images of pencils by over 100 brands, or by pencil types (such as copying, long ferrule, over sized ferrule, and WWII-era).

    October 2008 2008

  • The pencil was painted and finished, a ferrule crimped onto the end, and finally, an eraser crimped into the ferrule.

    A Kettle of Vultures Sabrina Lamb 2010

  • First thing I need to do is… He snapped off the arrow just above the ferrule and tossed the shaft aside, leaving the arrowhead embedded in the bent trigger guard.

    THE BOYS FROM SANTA CRUZ Jonathan Nasaw 2010

  • First thing I need to do is… He snapped off the arrow just above the ferrule and tossed the shaft aside, leaving the arrowhead embedded in the bent trigger guard.

    THE BOYS FROM SANTA CRUZ Jonathan Nasaw 2010

  • The pencil was painted and finished, a ferrule crimped onto the end, and finally, an eraser crimped into the ferrule.

    A Kettle of Vultures Sabrina Lamb 2010

  • First thing I need to do is… He snapped off the arrow just above the ferrule and tossed the shaft aside, leaving the arrowhead embedded in the bent trigger guard.

    THE BOYS FROM SANTA CRUZ Jonathan Nasaw 2010

Comments

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  • the metal band that connects the handle and stock of a paintbrush or an eraser to a pencil

    February 23, 2007

  • Or the thin band of metal, sometimes featuring knurling or other decorations, that reinforces the ends of a fife.

    February 23, 2007

  • Yes! I knew there was something else...thanks, c_b.

    February 23, 2007

  • If a long umbrella is used for walking support it can be made slip-proof on flat surfaces by slipping on a ferrule made of rubber onto the end of the shaft. Wooden shafted umbrellas have a ferrule made of tough plastic, and very high-end umbrellas have a ferrule made of horn. All good long umbrellas have a ferrule made of slip-preventing nylon, which also prevents the umbrella from clattering when it’s set on the floor.

    February 24, 2007

  • So we have quite a fair number of ferrules here, we do.

    February 24, 2007