—n.
1 a cloth woven from flax. b a particular kind of this.
2 (collect.) articles made or orig. made of linen, calico, etc., as sheets, cloths, shirts, undergarments, etc.
—adj. made of linen or flax (linen cloth).
Phrases and idioms:
linen basket a basket for soiled clothes. wash one's dirty linen in public be indiscreet about one's domestic quarrels etc.
Etymology: OE linen f. WG, rel. to obs. line flax
Useful english dictionary. 2012.