Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The process of steeping flax in open water, or its exposure, in thin layers, to dew, in which the woody part of the stalk is, by action of moisture and air, rendered easily separable from the fiber or harl.
- noun The place where this operation is carried on; a rettery.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The act or process of preparing flax for use by soaking, maceration, and kindred processes; -- also called
rotting . Seeret . - noun A place where flax is retted; a rettery.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The act or process of preparing
flax for use bysoaking ,maceration , and similar processes. - noun A place where flax is
retted ; arettery .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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To separate this valuable commercial product from the woody matter the stalks are first subjected to a process termed retting, which is steeping them in water until they are quite soft.
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In warmer countries such as Egypt, this step—called retting—can be done in water, but it results in polluted water.
The Muddy Roots of Fine Linen Christina Passariello 2011
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The bacillus which produces the "retting" is known now, however, and it has been shown that the "retting" is a process of decomposition of the pectin cement.
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The process is known as "retting," and after it is completed the fibres are easily isolated from each other.
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We decided that Flamingo Marsh would be the best spot for the operation of steeping or "retting" the flax, and next morning we set out thither with the cart drawn by the ass, and laden with the bundles, between which sat Franz and Knips, while the rest of us followed with spades and hatchets.
Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 3 Charles Herbert Sylvester
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"retting" continues too long the desired fibre is decidedly injured by the softening effect of the fermentation.
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"retting" which separates the fibre from the decaying part of the plant.
Vegetable Dyes Being a Book of Recipes and Other Information Useful to the Dyer Ethel M. Mairet
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Researchers would like to replace this rather haphazard method by further developing enzyme retting, which would use selected pectin-degrading enzymes to ret the straw under controlled conditions.
Just the flax, ma'am ewillett 2008
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The simplest method, dew retting, involves spreading the straw evenly over the ground.
Just the flax, ma'am ewillett 2008
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To free the fibers you have to dissolve the pectins, a process called retting.
Just the flax, ma'am ewillett 2008
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