n. 1 the part of a garment that wholly or partly covers an arm. 2 the cover of a gramophone record. 3 a tube enclosing a rod or smaller tube. 4 a a wind-sock. b a drogue towed by an aircraft. roll up one's sleeves prepare to fight or work. sleeve-board a small ironing-board for pressing sleeves. sleeve-coupling a tube for connecting shafts or pipes. sleeve-link a cuff-link. sleeve-note a descriptive note on a record-sleeve. sleeve-nut a long nut with right-hand and left-hand screw-threads for drawing together pipes or shafts conversely threaded. sleeve-valve a valve in the form of a cylinder with a sliding movement. up one's sleeve concealed but ready for use, in reserve. sleeved adj. (also in comb.). sleeveless adj.
[ OE slefe, sliefe, slyf ]