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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Floss \Floss\ (?; 195), n. [It. floscio flabby, soft, fr. L.
fluxus flowing, loose, slack. See {Flux}, n.]
1. (Bot.) The slender styles of the pistillate flowers of
maize; also called {silk}.
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2. Untwisted filaments of silk, used in embroidering.
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3. A body feather of an ostrich. Flosses are soft, and gray
from the female and black from the male.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{Floss silk}, silk that has been twisted, and which retains
its loose and downy character. It is much used in
embroidery. Called also {floxed silk}.

{Floss thread}, a kind of soft flaxen yarn or thread, used
for embroidery; -- called also {linen floss}, and {floss
yarn}. --McElrath.
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Floss \Floss\, n. [Cf. G. floss a float.]
1. A small stream of water. [Eng.]
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2. Fluid glass floating on iron in the puddling furnace,
produced by the vitrification of oxides and earths which
are present.
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{Floss hole}.
(a) A hole at the back of a puddling furnace, at which the
slags pass out.
(b) The tap hole of a melting furnace. --Knight.
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