shives

Noun (1)

shive (plural shives)

1. A slice, especially of bread.
   • Of a cut loafe to steale a shiuec. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
2. (obsolete) A sheave.
3. A beam or plank of split wood.
4. A flat, wide cork for plugging a large hole or closing a wide-mouthed bottle.
   • If the conditioning continues to be fairly brisk, a wooden tut might appear to distort a little under the stress of the internal pressure, with the beer seeping out around the tut and shive.2011, John Alexander, A Guide to Craft Brewing

Noun (2)

shive (plural shives)

1. A splinter or fragment of the woody core of flax or hemp broken off in braking or scutching

   Synonyms:

   shiv, boon, shove, hurd

2. A plant fragment remaining in scoured wool.

See all 9 meanings of shive