willy

n. a machine used to clean and open up wool or cotton fibers.

n. a machine, also known as a willow, equipped with revolving spikes for opening and cleaning raw wool or cotton.

“The factory worker fed the raw wool into the willy to remove the dirt.”

“The introduction of the mechanical willy significantly increased the efficiency of the fiber-cleansing process during the early industrial era.”

Technical

v. to clean wool or cotton using a special machine.

v. to process, open, or cleanse textile fibers using a willy machine.

“They had to willy the cotton before it could be spun into thread.”

“The raw material must be thoroughly willied to ensure all impurities are extracted before the carding stage begins.”

Technical