(tassel)
1Tassel — Tas sel, n. [OE., a fastening of a mantle, OF. tassel a fastening, clasp, F. tasseau a bracket, Fr. L. taxillus a little die, dim. of talus a die of a longish shape, rounded on two sides and marked only on the other four, a knuckle bone.] 1. A… …
2Tassel — Tas sel, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Tasseled}or {Tasselled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tasseling} or {Tasselling}.] To put forth a tassel or flower; as, maize tassels. [1913 Webster] …
3tassel — (n.) c.1300, mantle fastener, from O.Fr. tassel a fastening, clasp (mid 12c.), from V.L. *tassellus, said to be from L. taxillus small die or cube, a dim. of talus knucklebone, ankle (see TALUS (Cf. talus) (1)). But OED finds this doubtful and… …
4tassel — tassel1 [tas′əl] n. [ME < OFr, knob, knot, button < VL * tassellus, altered < L taxillus, a small die (akin to talus, ankle), based on L tessella, small cube, piece of mosaic] 1. Obs. a clasp or fibula 2. an ornamental tuft of threads,… …
5Tassel — Tas sel, n. (Falconry) A male hawk. See {Tercel}. [1913 Webster] …
6Tassel — Tas sel, n. [See {Teasel}.] A kind of bur used in dressing cloth; a teasel. [1913 Webster] …
7Tassel — Tas sel, v. t. To adorn with tassels. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …
8tassel — The inflected forms are tasselled, tasselling in BrE and in AmE usually tasseled, tasseling …
9tassel — ► NOUN 1) a tuft of hanging threads, knotted together at one end and used for decoration in soft furnishing and clothing. 2) the tufted head of some plants. DERIVATIVES tasselled adjective. ORIGIN Old French, clasp …
10Tassel — For other uses, see hilt and maize. A tassel is a binding of plaited or otherwise gathered threads from which at one end protrudes a cord on which the tassel is hung, and which may have loose, dangling threads at the other end. Tassels are… …