Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CARD, n.² [D. kaard; kardetsche; Dan. karde; Sw. karda; Fr. carde; Arm. encardoner; Sp. carda, teasel, and a card: Port. carda, a card, and cardo, a thistle; L. carduus; It. cardo, a thistle and a card; L. caro, to card; Ir. cir, a comb. It seems that card, and L. carduus, are the same word, and probably the plant (teasel) is the original word, or both are from a common root. The French carde is a card, and the stalks of the artichoke. Artichoke is so written for cardichoke.]

An instrument for combing, opening, and breaking wool or flax, freeing it from the coarser parts, and from extraneous matter. It is made by inserting bent teeth of wire in a thick piece of leather, and nailing this to a piece of oblong board, to which a handle is attached. But wool and cotton are now generally carded in mills by teeth fixed on a wheel moved by water.