Darn v. t. [imp. & p. p. Darned p. pr. & vb. n. Darning.]  To mend as a rent or hole, with interlacing stitches of yarn or thread by means of a needle; to sew together with yarn or thread.
    He spent every day ten hours in his closet, in darning his stockings.   --Swift.
 Darning last. See under Last.
 Darning needle. (a) A long, strong needle for mending holes or rents, especially in stockings. (b) Zool. Any species of dragon fly, having a long, cylindrical body, resembling a needle. These flies are harmless and without stings.
 Note: [In this sense, usually written with a hyphen.] Called also devil's darning-needle.


 Dev·il's darn·ing-nee·dle. Zool. A dragon fly. See Darning needle, under Darn, v. t.

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 darning needle
      n 1: a long needle with an eye large enough for heavy darning or
           embroidery thread [syn: embroidery needle]
      2: slender-bodied non-stinging insect having iridescent wings
         that are outspread at rest; adults and nymphs feed on
         mosquitoes etc. [syn: dragonfly, devil's darning needle,
          sewing needle, snake feeder, snake doctor, {mosquito
         hawk, skeeter hawk]