Tissue

Tis′sue (tĭsh′ū), n. [F. tissu, fr. tissu, p. p. of tisser, tistre, to weave, fr. L. texere. See Text.] 1. A woven fabric.

2. A fine transparent silk stuff, used for veils, etc.; specifically, cloth interwoven with gold or silver threads, or embossed with figures.

A robe of tissue, stiff with golden wire. Dryden.

In their glittering tissues bear emblazed Holy memorials. Milton.

3. (Biol.) One of the elementary materials or fibres, having a uniform structure and a specialized function, of which ordinary animals and plants are composed; a texture; as, epithelial tissue; connective tissue.

☞ The term tissue is also often applied in a wider sense to all the materials or elementary tissues, differing in structure and function, which go to make up an organ; as, vascular tissue, tegumentary tissue, etc.

4. Fig.: Web; texture; complicated fabrication; connected series; as, a tissue of forgeries, or of falsehood.

Unwilling to leave the dry bones of Agnosticism wholly unclothed with any living tissue of religious emotion. A. J. Balfour.

Tissue paper, very thin, gauzelike paper, used for protecting engravings in books, for wrapping up delicate articles, etc.

Tis′sue, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tissued; p. pr. & vb. n. Tissuing.] To form tissue of; to interweave.

Covered with cloth of gold tissued upon blue. Bacon.