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]