%velvet%

n. [ OE. velouette, veluet, velwet; cf. OF. velluau, LL. velluetum, vellutum, It. velluto, Sp. velludo; all fr. (assumed) LL. villutus shaggy, fr L. villus shaggy hair; akin to vellus a fleece, and E. wool. See Wool, and cf. Villous. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A silk fabric, having a short, close nap of erect threads. Inferior qualities are made with a silk pile on a cotton or linen back, or with other soft fibers such as nylon, acetate, or rayon. [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

2. The soft and highly vascular deciduous skin which envelops and nourishes the antlers of deer during their rapid growth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Something likened to velvet{ 1 } in being soft or luxurious; as, a lawn of velvet. [ PJC ]

Cotton velvet, an imitation of velvet, made of cotton. --
Velvet cork, the best kind of cork bark, supple, elastic, and not woody or porous. --
Velvet crab (Zool.), a European crab (Portunus puber). When adult the black carapace is covered with a velvety pile. Called also lady crab, and velvet fiddler. --
Velvet dock (Bot.), the common mullein. --
Velvet duck. (Zool.) (a) A large European sea duck, or scoter (Oidemia fusca). The adult male is glossy, velvety black, with a white speculum on each wing, and a white patch behind each eye. (b) The American whitewinged scoter. See Scoter. --
Velvet flower (Bot.), love-lies-bleeding. See under Love. --
Velvet grass (Bot.), a tall grass (Holcus lanatus) with velvety stem and leaves; -- called also soft grass. --
Velvet runner (Zool.), the water rail; -- so called from its quiet, stealthy manner of running. [ Prov. Eng. ] --
Velvet scoter. (Zool.) Same as Velvet duck, above. --
Velvet sponge. (Zool.) See under Sponge. --
in velvet having a coating of velvet{ 2 } over the antlers; in the annual stage where the antlers are still growing; -- of deer. [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

a. Made of velvet; soft and delicate, like velvet; velvety. “ The cowslip's velvet head.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To pain velvet. [ R. ] Peacham. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make like, or cover with, velvet. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The goosander. [ Local, U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. velvantine. See Velvet. ] A kind of cloth, usually cotton, made in imitation of velvet; cotton velvet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The fine shag or nap of velvet; a piece of velvet; velvet goods. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A name given to several plants which have soft, velvety leaves, as the Abutilon Avicennae, the Cissampelos Pareira, and the Lavatera arborea, and even the common mullein. [ 1913 Webster ]