dial. Also 7 lisne, 7–9 lissom. [Of obscure origin: cf. LIST sb.3, which has some affinity in meaning (cf. sense 4 of that word).]
1. A cleft or seam dividing the strata of a rock.
c. 1640. J. Smyth, Hundred of Berkeley (1885), III. 175. A strange stone … wherein is noe chinke, cracke, chopp, or Lisne at all.
a. 1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., II. vii. 192. In the Lisne of a Rock at Kingscote in Glocestershire, I found at least a Bushel of Petrified Cockles.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 58. We have another fine Earth … round frequently in the lissoms or seams of the Rocks.
1847. Halliwell, Lissen, a cleft in a rock. Glouc.
1890. Gloucester Gloss., Lissen, a cleft in a rock; the parting of stone in a quarry.
2. A layer or stratum; † a support for a beehive.
1790. Trans. Soc. Arts, VIII. 126 (Let. fr. Faringdon, Berks). Two [hives] … that I was obliged to raise on lissoms nine inches high.
1879. in Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., s.v., ‘In burnin’ lime we putten first a lissom o’ coal, an’ then a lissom o’ lime-stwun.’
3. A strand of rope; ‘one of the rows of straw plait in a bonnet’ (Devon 1837 in E. D. D.).
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Lissens, the ultimate strands of a rope.
1886. Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., Lissom, the strand of a rope; each lissom may be composed of several yarns.
