vt a weaver's reed.
2. sley ·vt a guideway in a knitting machine.
3. sley ·vt to separate or part the threads of, and arrange them in a reed;
a term used by weavers. ·see sleave, and sleid.
4. sley ·add. ·noun the number of ends per inch in the cloth, provided each dent in the reed in which it was made contained as equal number of ends.