bobbin

Borrowed from French bobine, recorded in English since 1530.

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Three bobbins (2)

• Rhymes: -ɒbɪn

bobbin (plural bobbins)

1. A spool or cylinder around which wire is coiled.
   • Jan. 8, 2004, Machine Design Magazine, p. 108

     Ignition coils using a bobbin molded from high-performance polyester withstand open-circuit bench tests to 70kV.

2. In a sewing machine, the small spool that holds the lower thread.

   Wind the bobbin, place it in the machine, and raise the thread.

3. The little rounded piece of wood at the end of a latch string, which is pulled to raise the latch.
   • 1878, Thomas Hardy, The Return of the Native, page 152:

     She went from the linhay and boldly pulled the bobbin of the fuel-house door.

   • 1729, Charles Perrault, [[:w:Histories, or tales of past times: viz. i. The Little Red Riding-hood, London: Printed for J. Pote, at Sir Isaac New-ton's Head, near Suffolk-street, Charing-cross; and R. Montagu, the corner of Great Queen-street, near Drury-lane. M.DCC.XXIX. FC6 P4262 Eg729s. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.|Histories, or tales of past times: viz. i. The Little Red Riding-hood, London: Printed for J. Pote, at Sir Isaac New-ton's Head, near Suffolk-street, Charing-cross; and R. Montagu, the corner of Great Queen-street, near Drury-lane. M.DCC.XXIX. FC6 P4262 Eg729s. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.]], page 4:

     Put the bobbin and the latch will go up

4. (haberdashery) A fine cord or narrow braid.