n. [ OE. stiche, AS. stice a pricking, akin to stician to prick. See Stick, v. i. ] 1. A single pass of a needle in sewing; the loop or turn of the thread thus made. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A single turn of the thread round a needle in knitting; a link, or loop, of yarn; as, to let down, or drop, a stitch; to take up a stitch. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ Cf. OE. sticche, stecche, stucche, a piece, AS. stycce. Cf. Stock. ] A space of work taken up, or gone over, in a single pass of the needle; hence, by extension, any space passed over; distance. [ 1913 Webster ]

You have gone a good stitch. Bunyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

In Syria the husbandmen go lightly over with their plow, and take no deep stitch in making their furrows. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A local sharp pain; an acute pain, like the piercing of a needle; as, a stitch in the side. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was taken with a cold and with stitches, which was, indeed, a pleurisy. Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A contortion, or twist. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If you talk,
Or pull your face into a stitch again,
I shall be angry. Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Any least part of a fabric or dress; as, to wet every stitch of clothes. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A furrow. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. An arrangement of stitches, or method of stitching in some particular way or style; as, cross-stitch; herringbone stitch, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Chain stitch,
Lock stitch. See in the Vocabulary. --
Pearl stitch, or
Purl stitch. See 2nd Purl, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stitched p. pr. & vb. n. Stitching. ] 1. To form stitches in; especially, to sew in such a manner as to show on the surface a continuous line of stitches; as, to stitch a shirt bosom. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To sew, or unite together by stitches; as, to stitch printed sheets in making a book or a pamphlet. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Agric.) To form land into ridges. [ 1913 Webster ]

To stitch up, to mend or unite with a needle and thread; as, to stitch up a rent; to stitch up an artery. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To practice stitching, or needlework. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A kind of hairy wool. [ Prov. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who stitches; a seamstress. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Needlework; -- in contempt. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of one who stitches. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Work done by sewing, esp. when a continuous line of stitches is shown on the surface; stitches, collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) See Stichwort. [ 1913 Webster ]