— silklike , adj.
/silk/ , n.
1. the soft, lustrous fiber obtained as a filament from the cocoon of the silkworm.
2. thread made from this fiber.
3. cloth made from this fiber.
4. a garment of this cloth.
5. a gown of such material worn distinctively by a King's or Queen's Counsel at the English bar.
6. silks , the blouse and peaked cap, considered together, worn by a jockey or sulky driver in a race.
7. Informal. a parachute, esp. one opened aloft.
8. any fiber or filamentous matter resembling silk, as a filament produced by certain spiders, the thread of a mollusk, or the like.
9. the hairlike styles on an ear of corn.
10. Brit. Informal.
a. a King's or Queen's Counsel.
b. any barrister of high rank.
11. hit the silk , Slang. to parachute from an aircraft; bail out.
12. take silk , Brit. to become a Queen's or King's Counsel.
adj.
13. made of silk.
14. resembling silk; silky.
15. of or pertaining to silk.
v.i.
16. (of corn) to be in the course of developing silk.
[ bef. 900; ME (n.); OE sioloc, seol ( o ) c (c. ON silki ), by uncert. transmission serikón silk, n. use of neut. of serikós silken, lit., Chinese, deriv. of Sêres the Chinese (Russ shëlk, OPruss silkas (gen.) "silk" appear to be ]