Sheet | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Sheet, n.

noun

n. [A-S. scēte, scyte, from scēotan, to shoot, dart, cast, extend.] In general, any broad, uninterrupted expanse; any expanded superficies; hence, specifically, (a.) A broad piece of cloth used as a part of bed furniture, next to the body.

Shroud me in one of those same sheets. Shak.

(b.) A broad piece of paper, either unfolded as it comes from the manufacturer, or folded into pages. (c.) (pl.) Hence, a book or pamphlet.

To this the following sheets are intended for a full and distinct answer. Waterland.

(d.) A broad expanse of water, or the like. “The two beautiful sheets of water.” Macaulay. (e.) A broad, thinly expanded portion of metal or other substance; as, a sheet of copper, of glass, or the like.

☞ Sheet is often used in composition to denote that the substance to the name of which it is prefixed is in the form of sheets, or thin plates or leaves; as, sheet-brass, sheet-copper, sheet-glass, sheet-gold, sheet-iron, sheet-lead, sheet-silver, sheet-zinc, and the like.

In sheets, lying flat or expanded; not folded, or folded but not bound;—said especially of printed pages.

Sheet, n.

noun

[Ger. schote. See supra.] (Naut.) A rope fastened to one or both of the lower corners of a sail, to extend and retain it in a particular situation.

A wet sheet and a flowing sea. Sargent.

Sheet, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. SHEETED; p. pr. & vb. n. SHEETING.]

To furnish with sheets. [Rare.]
To fold in a sheet. “The sheeted dead.” Shak.
To cover as with a sheet; to cover with something broad and thin. “When snow the pasture sheets.” Shak.
To draw or expand, as a sheet.

The star shot flew from the welkin blue, As it fell from the sheeted sky. J. R. Drake. To sheet home (Naut.), to haul home a sheet, or extend the sail till the clew is close to the sheet-block.