Usage examples (5)

• Hickson held the thumbstall close to his right eye to judge the neatness of his stitching.
• Hickson was sewing up the frayed edge of his leather thumbstall which protected his hand when a cannon was swabbed out.
• The gunner had to stop the touchhole so that the rammer could not drive a jet of fresh air down the barrel and so ignite any scraps of remaining powder, and Hickson's old and...
• "I thank ye," she said heartily, and pressing down the thumbstall of the latch, went in.