Webster's English Dictionary

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thimble

thim.ble \'thim-b*l\ n [ME thymbyl, prob. alter. of OE thy-mel thumbstall, 
   fr. thuB-ma thumb 1: a cap or cover used in sewing to protect the finger 
   when pushing the nee dle 2: a thimble-shaped cup, appendage, or fixture : 
   as  2a: a grooved ring of thin metal used to fit in a spliced loop in a 
   rope as  protection from chafing 2b: a fixed or movable ring, tube, or 
   lining in a hole