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welt

1. That which, being sewed or otherwise fastened to an edge or border, serves to guard, strengthen, or adorn it; as; A small cord covered with cloth and sewed on a seam or border to strengthen it; an edge of cloth folded on itself, usually over a cord, and sewed down.

A hem, border, or fringe.

In shoemaking, a narrow strip of leather around a shoe, between the upper leather and sole.

In steam boilers and sheet-iron work, a strip riveted upon the edges of plates that form a butt joint.

In carpentry, a strip of wood fastened over a flush seam or joint, or an angle, to strengthen it.

In machine-made stockings, a strip, or flap, of which the heel is formed.

2. A narrow border, as of an ordinary, but not extending around the ends. Welt joint, a joint, as of plates, made with a welt, instead of by overlapping the edges. See weld, 1 .

Origin: OE. Welte, probably fr. W. Gwald a hem, a welt, gwaldu to welt or to hem.