Word of the day: scrim

The word of the day is scrim:

1. a cotton or linen fabric of open weave used for bunting, curtains, etc.
2. Theater. a piece of such fabric used as a drop, border, or the like, for creating the illusion of a solid wall or backdrop under certain lighting conditions or creating a semitransparent curtain when lit from behind.

"upholstery lining," 1792, of unknown origin.

(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/scrim)

"As a rule, soil has three layers: a thin scrim of dead leaves, bits of wood, and other organic matter on top; a band of dark topsoil, usually no more than a foot deep, shot through with humus (partly decomposed organic matter); and a stratum of subsoil below, lighter colored but rich with iron, clay, and minerals."

 - Charles Mann, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created