net

n. [ AS. net; akin to D. net, OS. net, netti, OHG. nezzi, G. netz, Icel. & Dan. net, Sw. nät, Goth. nati; of uncertain origin. ] 1. A fabric of twine, thread, or the like, wrought or woven into meshes, and used for catching fish, birds, butterflies, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything designed or fitted to entrap or catch; a snare; any device for catching and holding. [ 1913 Webster ]

A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet. Prov. xxix. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the church's net there are fishes good or bad. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Anything wrought or woven in meshes; as, a net for the hair; a mosquito net; a tennis net. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Geom.) A figure made up of a large number of straight lines or curves, which are connected at certain points and related to each other by some specified law. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A network. [ informal ] [ PJC ]

6. Specifically: The internet; -- usually the net; as, I found it on the net. [ slang ] [ PJC ]

a. [ F. See Neat clean. ] 1. Without spot; pure; shining. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Her breast all naked as net ivory. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Free from extraneous substances; pure; unadulterated; neat; as, net wine, etc. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not including superfluous, incidental, or foreign matter, as boxes, coverings, wraps, etc.; free from charges, deductions, etc; as, net profit; net income; net weight, etc. [ Less properly written nett. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Net tonnage (Naut.), the tonnage of a vessel after a deduction from the gross tonnage has been made, to allow space for crew, machinery, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Netted; p. pr. & vb. n. Netting. ] To produce or gain as clear profit; as, he netted a thousand dollars by the operation. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Netted p. pr. & vb. n. Netting. ] 1. To make into a net; to make in the style of network; as, to net silk. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To take in a net; to capture by stratagem or wile. [ 1913 Webster ]

And now I am here, netted and in the toils. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To inclose or cover with a net; as, to net a tree. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A team game that resembles basketball; a soccer ball is to be thrown so that it passes through a ring on the top of a post. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) An astrophyton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. nethere, neithere, AS. niðera, fr. the adv. niðer downward; akin to neoðan below, beneath, D. neder down, G. nieder, Sw. nedre below, nether, a. & adv., and also to Skr. ni down. √201. Cf. Beneath. ] Situated down or below; lying beneath, or in the lower part; having a lower position; belonging to the region below; lower; under; -- opposed to upper. [ 1913 Webster ]

'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

This darksome nether world her light
Doth dim with horror and deformity. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

All my nether shape thus grew transformed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Lower, nether. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]