stoppa

tow

noun STOP-pah Rare

Origin: Latin stuppa, from Greek stuppē

Also means

oakum

Usage Note

Stoppa refers to the coarse short fibres left after combing flax or hemp, used historically for caulking ships, making wicks, or stuffing. The Italian idiom avere i capelli come la stoppa (to have hair like tow) means to have very dry, rough, or unruly hair. Do not confuse with stoppino (wick), which is derived from it.

Examples

"I marinai usavano la stoppa per tappare le falle."

Natural Translation

Sailors used tow to plug the leaks.

Literal Translation

The sailors used the tow to plug the leaks.

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