Talk:bristle

RFV discussion: June–November 2024

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bristle

Rfv-sense. Not sure about this sense: "To fix a bristle to." e.g.: to bristle a thread. Is this actually used? If yes, then it's pretty uncommon. [Saviourofthe] ୨୧ 00:16, 15 June 2024 (UTC)

• Dunno about threads. It seems easier to find reference to "rebristling a brush", but if you can rebristle a brush then I suppose you can in the first place bristle it? Mihia (talk) 00:19, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

  According to some old dictionaries, the verb is related to shoemakers. I could find only one possible use of this: : "Every man, ſurely, has a right to chooſe his own ſhoemaker; but will that man act wiſely who ſhall employ one for that purpoſe who never knew how to briſtle a thread! Yea, every man has a right, if he pleaſes, to make his own ſhoes ; but are the rights of than violated by his wearing ſhoes of another man's making?" If this and this book are to be trusted, then bristles were used as needles by shoemakers, and thus this verb sense means "to needle (a thread, etc.)" ? I have many doubts. [Saviourofthe] ୨୧ 20:33, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

This "bristle a thread" example seems to have been copied down through the ages without anyone bothering to explain what it actually means. You're right, "bristle" definitely seems to mean some kind of sewing or stitching implement like a needle [1] [2]. Would you fix a needle to a thread? If the bristle didn't have an eye like a normal needle, perhaps you would have to?? Mihia (talk) 23:13, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

I can find cites like "the first rug cleaning brushes bristled with nylon have been installed" (later in the work, the brushes are "rebristled at least three times a year"), and "your next purchase of bristling material" for bristling brushes, but it could be argued that "bristling" is a noun there. If this is real, it is not common. - -sche (discuss) 02:21, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

Your cite made me laugh. "Brooms, Brushes & Mops, volumes 43-44" ... sounds like quite a page-turner. I must try to get my hands on volumes 1 to 42. Mihia (talk) 00:08, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

I found one more: "nylon is employed most advantageously in bristling brushes of all kinds" [3]. — This unsigned comment was added by Mihia (talk • contribs) at 00:05, 27 June 2024 (UTC).

Thanks; I found a fourth. I've tagged the term as rare, but RFV-passed. - -sche (discuss) 22:03, 27 November 2024 (UTC)