Also 5–6 loupe, 9 loup. [ad. F. loupe, which has all the senses. Cf. G. luppe.]
1. Metallurgy. A mass of iron in a pasty condition ready for the tilt-hammer or rolls; a bloom.
1674. Ray, Collect. Words, Iron Work, 127. The sow at first they roll into the fire, and melt off a piece of about three fourths of a hundredweight which so soon as it is broken off becomes a Loop.
1686. Plot, Staffordsh., 163. The Metall in an hour thickens by degrees into a lump or mass, which they call a loop.
1731. In Bailey, vol. II.
1794. H. Cort, in Repertory of Arts & Manuf. (1795), III. 365. The method and process, invented … by me, is to continue the loops in the same furnace,… and to heat them to a white or welding heat.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 768. The ore … loses its fusibility, and is collected into lumps called loops.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Loup, the pasty mass of iron produced in a bloomary or puddling furnace.
attrib. 18[?]. Whitman, To Working Men, 6. Iron works—the loup-lump at the bottom of the melt at last.
† 2. A precious stone of imperfect brilliancy, esp. a sapphire. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xiv. 160. Of the Saphire Loupe, and of many other Stones.
14[?]. Lydg., Commend. Our Lady, 92–3. Semely saphyre, depe loupe, and blewe ewage, Stable as the loupe, ewage of pite.
1545. Test. Ebor., VI. 228. A flower of golde diverslie enamylede, with a rubie, a saphire lupe and a perle.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 130. In the uppermost Rose, was a faire Saphier loupe perced.
3. A knot or bur, often of great size, occurring on walnut, maple, oak, and some other trees.
In some mod. Dicts.
4. ‘A small magnifying-glass’ (Cent. Dict.).
