# cotton

Pronunciation: say "KOT-n" US /ˈkɑt.n̩/, UK /ˈkɒt.n̩/

## Noun

1. A soft, fibrous, usually white substance of fine hairs, especially the material surrounding the seeds of plants of the genus Gossypium.
   - Simple: A soft, white material made of fine hairs that grows around the seeds of a plant.
   - _Workers harvest cotton from the bolls once the pods split open._
   - _Raw cotton consists of fine white fibers clustered tightly around each seed._
2. Fabric or textiles woven from the fiber harvested from the cotton plant, especially Gossypium.
   - Simple: Cloth or fabric made from the fibers of the cotton plant.
   - _The mill exports cotton to garment factories across the region._
   - _Cotton wrinkles easily but breathes well in hot weather._
4. A plant of the genus Gossypium, grown as the source of cotton fiber.
   - Simple: A bushy plant that produces soft white fibers around its seeds.
   - _The plantation devoted hundreds of acres to cotton._
   - _Cotton thrives in the hot climate of the southern states._
5. Thread spun from cotton fiber, used especially for sewing.
   - Simple: Thread made from twisted cotton fibers, used for sewing.
   - _The tailor kept spools of cotton in every color._
   - _Use a fine cotton to hem the silk lining neatly._
6. An article of clothing made from cotton textiles.
   - Simple: A piece of clothing that is made from cotton cloth.
   - _On hot days she lives in loose cottons._
   - _He bought a simple white cotton for the summer wedding._
8. Any soft, white, fibrous material made of fine hairs, regardless of what it comes from.
   - Simple: A soft, white, fluffy material made of fine fibers, no matter where it comes from.
   - _Milkweed pods split in the fall and scatter their cotton across the meadow._
   - _Botanists collected the fine cotton from several unrelated plants for comparison._
9. Any plant that wraps its seeds in a thin fiber, which is harvested and made into fabric or cloth.
   - Simple: A plant that wraps its seeds in thin fibers, which people gather to make cloth.
   - _Growers raise cotton chiefly for the spinnable fiber that surrounds each seed._
   - _The plantation switched from tobacco to cotton in the early 1800s._

## Adjective

3. Consisting of or made from cotton fiber.
   - Simple: Made from the soft fibers of the cotton plant.
   - _He prefers cotton shirts because they breathe well in the heat._
   - _The store sells cotton towels in a dozen colors._

## Verb

7. To get on well with someone or something; to have a good relationship.
   - Simple: To get along well with someone.
   - _Somehow the old rivals began to cotton, and within weeks they were inseparable._
   - _Children who cotton easily tend to settle into a new school faster._
10. To shield from harsh influences; to coddle or muffle.
   - Simple: To protect someone from hard or upsetting things.
   - _Wealthy families sometimes cotton their children well into adulthood._
   - _The thick stone walls cotton the studio from the noise of the street._
12. To supply or fit something with cotton.
   - Simple: To add cotton to something to fill or cushion it.
   - _Packers cotton the shipment to keep the bottles from breaking._
   - _He cottoned the crate before nailing the lid shut._
13. To pack or stuff something with a wad of cotton.
   - Simple: To pack something with a lump of soft cotton.
   - _Nurses cotton the wound cavity to absorb any bleeding._
   - _She cottoned the small jar to keep the pills from rattling._
14. To wrap something in a protective layer of cotton fabric.
   - Simple: To wrap something in cotton cloth to keep it safe.
   - _Nursery workers cotton the seedlings to shield them from sudden cold._
   - _The grower cottoned each melon to prevent bruising on the long trip to market._
15. To fit a lamp or candle with a cotton wick.
   - Simple: To put a cotton wick into a lamp or candle.
   - _Chandlers cotton the molds before pouring in the hot wax._
   - _She cottoned the brass lamp and trimmed the wick neatly._
16. To rub or polish a surface with cotton.
   - Simple: To rub or polish something using cotton.
   - _Watchmakers cotton the polished cases to bring out a final luster._
   - _He cottoned the coin gently, careful not to scratch it._
17. To cover or shroud something in a layer of whiteness.
   - Simple: To cover something in a white layer, the way snow does.
   - _Heavy snows cotton the orchard until the branches disappear._
   - _Mist had cottoned the harbor before the sun rose._
18. To raise a nap on fabric, giving it a soft, cottony texture.
   - Simple: To brush cloth so it feels soft and fuzzy.
   - _Finishers cotton the woven wool to lift a downy surface._
   - _The mill cottoned the cloth repeatedly, deepening its softness._
19. To develop a porous, soft texture resembling cotton.
   - Simple: To become soft and full of tiny holes, like old cotton.
   - _Stored turnips cotton when they lose their moisture over the winter._
   - _The melon had cottoned at its center, mealy and flavorless._
20. To give something, such as the sky or a stretch of water, the appearance of being dotted with cotton balls.
   - Simple: To make something look as if it is dotted with small white puffs, like cotton balls.
   - _Blossoming dogwoods cotton the hillside behind the farmhouse every April._
   - _Puffs of smoke from a dozen campfires cottoned the valley at dusk._
21. To line or cover the walls of a room with fabric.
   - Simple: To cover the walls of a room with cloth.
   - _Upholsterers cotton the walls to soften the room's acoustics._
   - _The designer cottoned the study walls in deep green damask._
22. To coat a person with tar and then cover them with cotton bolls, a punishment like tarring and feathering.
   - Simple: To punish someone by covering them with tar and then cotton.
   - _Southern mobs sometimes chose to tar and cotton a visiting abolitionist rather than reach for feathers._
   - _The preacher survived being tarred and cottoned, though the burns on his scalp never fully healed._

## Noun

11. The fibrous wick of a candle. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: The wick of a candle, made from twisted threads.
   - _She snuffed the candle and trimmed its blackened cotton._
   - _The chandler twisted a fresh cotton for each new candle._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A liking.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–6, 8–22** — From Middle English "cotoun," borrowed through Anglo-Norman "cotun" and Old French "coton," from (Genoese) Old Italian "cotone," which came from Arabic "quṭun."
**Meaning 7** — Dating from the 1560s, this is either from Welsh "cydun" or "cytun" ("agree, coincide"), literally "to be at one with," or by metaphor with the textile, since cotton blended well with other fabrics such as wool in hat-making.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/cotton (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).