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tassel out

 - 2 dictionary results

tas⋅sel

[tas-uhl] noun, verb, -seled, -sel⋅ing or (especially British) -selled, -sel⋅ling.
–noun
1. a pendent ornament consisting commonly of a bunch of threads, small cords, or other strands hanging from a roundish knob or head, used on clothing, in jewelry, on curtains, etc.
2. something resembling this, as the inflorescence of certain plants, esp. that at the summit of a stalk of corn.
–verb (used with object)
3. to furnish or adorn with tassels.
4. to form into a tassel or tassels.
5. to remove the tassel from (growing corn) in order to improve the crop.
–verb (used without object)
6. (of corn) to put forth tassels (often fol. by out).

Origin:
1250–1300; ME (n.) < OF tas(s)el fastening for cloak < VL *tassellus, b. L tessella (dim. of tessera die for gaming) and taxillus (dim. of tālus die for gaming). See tessellate, talus 1


tas⋅sel⋅er; especially British, tas⋅sel⋅ler, noun
tas⋅sel⋅ly; especially British, tas⋅sel⋅ly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

tassel 
c.1300, "mantle fastener," from O.Fr. tassel "a fastening, clasp" (c.1150), from V.L. *tassellus, said to be from L. taxillus "small die or cube," a dim. of talus "knucklebone, ankle" (see talus (1)). But OED finds this doubtful and calls attention to the variant form tossel and suggests association with toss (v.). Meaning "hanging bunch of small cords" is first recorded c.1390.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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