Skein

[Dave Monroe]

"No hallowed skein of stars can ward, I trove, Who's
once been set his tryst with Trystero." (Lot 49, p.
58)

skein (skayn) noun 

1. A length of yarn wound around a reel. 

2. A flock of geese, ducks, or other similar birds in
flight. 

3. Something suggesting complex twists and tangles. 

[From Middle English skeyine, from Old French
escaigne.] 

When in flight, geese are called a skein; when not in
flight, a gaggle; and when flying in a V formation,
they are referred to as a wedge. Ducks take a number
of terms too: while in water, they are called a
paddling. 

  "The article, described as a tale of 'bank fraud,
oil trading, and bombs,' prompted Norman to follow a
tangled skein of connections to a second, much
broader, story." 
   Linda Grant; Newstrends: A Story You Won't Read in
Forbes; Fortune (New York); Oct 2, 1995. 

  "Arrowhead skeins of geese fly northward and land at
Walker Bay to breed." 
   Bruce Thorson; Boom and Bus; Canadian Geographic
(Ottawa); Mar 13, 1998. 

This week's theme: collective nouns. 

[...]

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Pronunciation: 
http://wordsmith.org/words/skein.wav 
http://wordsmith.org/words/skein.ram 

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