sley

Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

sley, n. [AS. sl, fr. sleán to strike. See Slay, v. t.].

A weaver's reed. [1913 Webster]
A guideway in a knitting machine. Knight. [1913 Webster]
The number of ends per inch in the cloth, provided each dent in the reed in which it was made contained an equal number of ends. E. Whitworth. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

sley, v. t.

To separate or part the threads of, and arrange them in a reed; -- a term used by weavers. See Sleave, and Sleid. [1913 Webster]

sley, n. (also slay) a weaver's reed.

Etymology

OE slege, rel. to SLAY(1)