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]