Forms: 6 bobbyn, 6–8 bobin, 7– bobbin. [a. F. bobine ‘a quil for a spinning wheele; also a skane or hank of gold or silver thread’ (Cotgr., 1611); origin unknown: see guesses in Littré and Diez.]
1. An article round which thread or yarn is wound, in order to be wound off again with facility, and as required, in weaving, sewing, etc.
a. ‘A small pin of wood, with a notch, to wind the thread about when women weave lace.’ J. (A cylinder 3 or 4 in. long, like a thickish pencil.)
b. A wooden or metal cylinder, perforated so as to revolve on a spindle, having a flange or ‘head’ at one or both ends (according to the purpose for which it is adapted), used to receive thread or yarn, and give it off by unwinding, in the processes of spinning, warping, weaving, frame-work knitting, etc.
c. A small spool for receiving the thread, placed within the shuttle, in some sewing machines.
d. In many parts of England: An ordinary ‘reel’ or ‘spool,’ on which sewing cotton, silk, etc., are wound for sale and use, having the form of a small wooden cylinder, with a broad edge or rim at both ends.
1530. Palsgr., 199/1. Bobbyn for a sylke woman, bobin.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1220. Turned in maner of spindles or bobins, as folke spin or twist therewith.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, I. 246. Bone-lace it is named, because first made with bone (since wooden) bobbins.
1729. Pullein, in Phil. Trans., LI. 23. The old method of reeling the silk over a bobin.
1736. Sheridan, in Swift’s Lett. (1768), IV. 165. If my skin were dry, my bones would rattle like a bag of bobbins.
1869. Mrs. Palliser, Lace, vii. 110. The oftener the bobbins are twisted the clearer and more esteemed is the Valenciennes.
1876. J. Watts, Brit. Manuf., III. 136. It draws out the cotton, twists it, and winds it upon a bobbin.
e. A reel round which wire is coiled in electrical instruments.
1870. R. Ferguson, Electr., 41. The thread … is wound round a slender movable bobbin.
1871. Tyndall, Fragm. Sc. (ed. 6), II. xvi. 441. The bobbins, in which the currents are induced.
2. ‘A fine cord in haberdashery’ (Beck, Draper’s Dict.); ‘round tape’ (Webster).
1578. [Beck, Draper’s Dict., s.v., In 1578 we find ‘Skotish bobin sylke,’ and ‘bobbing’ appearing in an inventory of that date in conjunction with twine and thread].
1641. Milton, Animadv., Wks. (1851), 191. To rumple her laces, her frizzles, and her bobins.
1843. Lytton, Last Bar., II. i. Tied with bobbins of gold thread.
1866. Blackmore, Cradock Nowell, xlvi. 305. A leather bag … wash leather tied with bobbin.
† 3. Sc. The seed-pod of the birch. (Jamieson.)
c. 1562. A. Scott, Month of May. To bring in bowis and birkin bobbynis.
4. A rounded piece of wood attached to a string, which passes through a door, and is fastened to the latch, so as to raise it. Hence bobbin-latch.
Little Red Riding-hood (ed. 1820). ‘Pull the bobbin and the latch will go up.’ Little Red Riding-hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened.
5. Comb., as bobbin-mill, -turner; bobbin-lace, lace made on a pillow with bobbins; bobbin-stand, a frame for holding the bobbins of a weaving- or spinning-machine; bobbin-winder, a contrivance for winding thread, etc., on a bobbin; † bobbin-work, ‘work woven with bobbins.’ J. See also BOBBIN-NET.
1681. Grew, Musæum, 372 (J.). Not Netted; nor Woven with Warp and Woofe; but after the manner of Bobbin-Work.
1857. Mrs. Gaskell, C. Brontë, I. 68. A bobbin-mill … where wooden reels were made.
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 23 Aug., 4/2. Born at Troutbeck … he served his time to the trade of bobbin-turner.
