linnet n also lennet [phonetics unavailable]. Cp EDD linet: linnet, linnit sb 1 'flax dressed, but not twisted into thread' Gl W Do; EDD lint sb 5 'a fishing-net'; OED lint 4 a 'netting for fishing-nets' now dial or U S (1615; 1874-92).
1 Twine for knitting fish-nets; the sections of netting forming the several parts of such nets; the complete net, seine, trap or all of these collectively; TWINE.
[1776] 1792 CARTWRIGHT ii, 177 I sent five hands in a skiff ... to look for the nets, which we lost there last fall ... but the lennet was all rotted off. 1913 Christmas Chimes 25 Every stage was down, the broken timber of all these washing about in the beaches, mixed with pieces of broken up skiffs and boats, masts, oars, trap buoys, corks, linnet... 1936 SMITH 110 I put the twine out in small lots to be knit up into linnet of different size meshes. 1937 DEVINE 31 Twine made up into nets, seines or traps, all of which are called collectively linnet by the fishermen. T 43-64 When the fish will swim round the trap they'd strike up against the linnet every time... The name for the twine when 'tis knit up is linnet. T 80/3-64 An' you let hundreds [of fish] bide in the linnet; you'd never haul the leader. T 172/5-65 And you had your puncheons then; when the bark was strong enough, you'd put your linnet into the puncheons. 1966 FARIS 36 Moving a cod trap is no small task, as the 'linnet' (net portions) may weigh over 2000 pounds. P 229-67 We got all our linnet in the water. 1975 BUTLER 58n Now if you go in a store, you won't ask for twine but for linnet—linnet for a cod trap, linnet for a salmon net, linnet for a gill net—'tis all called linnet. 1977 Evening Telegram 28 Apr, p. 42 Tenders are invited for the purchase ... of approximately 1000 lbs of Cod Trap linnet, the majority of this material is 3½ inch mesh.
2 A section of netting used for various purposes on land.
P 167-67 ~ net placed over an enclosure to keep the hens from flying out. C 70-12 We would put some bread out on the snow to attract the birds, over which would be a hoop covered with old linnet. C 71-95 When the hay was dry enough it was taken off the pooks with a prong and put into the linets making a bundle of hay. There was a special art to tying up the bundles.
3 Attrib, comb linnet edge: in a cod-trap, the part of a section of netting attached to a line or rope forming the frame of the device.
P 9-73 So, two inches along the rope and two inches each side of a half-mesh is halves. The linnet edge forms a half-mesh with the rope only.
linnet pole: a stick from which a fish-net is suspended to dry.
T 169-65 An' I had a stick, see, a linnet pole [there on the hill].
