kaṭhina : [adj.] rough; hard; stiff. (nt.), the clothe annually supplied to the monks for making robes.

A.P. Buddhadatta Mahathera, Concise Pali-English and English-Pali Dictionary [available as digital version from Metta Net, Sri Lanka]

kaṭhina mfn. (Comm. on Uṇ. ii, 49) hard, firm, stiff (opposed to mṛdu)
• difficult Megh. Suśr. Pañcat. &c
• harsh, inflexible, cruel Kum. Amar. &c
• violent (as pain) Vikr
• (ā), f. crystallized sugar, a sweetmeat made with refined sugar L
• a species of betel L
• (ī), f. chalk Pañcat. Hit
• (am), n. an earthen vessel for cooking MBh. R
• a strap or pole for carrying burdens Pāṇ. 4-4, 72 (cf. vaṃśa-kaṭhina)
• a shovel, scoop L

Sanskrit-English Dictionary, by M. Monier William

Cotton cloth supplied to monks by the laity for the purpose of making robes. The offering of the cloth, which should be new or in good condition, is made after the annual retreat during the rainy season in countries where Theravāda Buddhism is practised. A ceremony has developed around the offering, which goes back to ancient times, and is one of the few ceremonies that follows an almost identical form throughout south-east Asia. It is one of many ceremonies in Theravāda Buddhism in which the laity plays a part. See also cīvara; festivals.

A Dictionary of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, 2003, 2004 (which is available in electronic version from answer.com)

Kaṭhina (adj. -- n.) [Sk. kaṭhina & kaṭhora with dial. ṭh for rth; cp. Gr. kratu/s, kratero/s strong, kra/tos strength; Goth. hardus=Ags. heard=E. hard. Cp. also Sk. kṛtsna=P. kasiṇa].

1. (adj.) hard, firm, stiff. Cp. ii.2; Dhs 44, 45 (where also der. f. abstr. akaṭhinatā absence of rigidity, combd with akakkhalatā, cp. DhsA 151 akaṭhina -- bhāva); PvA 152 (˚dāṭha). -- (fig.) hard, harsh, cruel Ji.295=v.448 (=thaddha -- hadaya); adv. ˚ŋ fiercely, violently Miln 273, 274.

-- 2. (nt.) the cotton cloth which was annually supplied by the laity to the bhikkhus for the purpose of making robes Vin i.253 sq.; also a wooden frame used by the bh. in sewing their robes Vin.ii.115 -- 117. -- On the k. robe see Vin. i.298 sq.; iii.196 sq., 203 sq., 261 sq.; iv.74, 100, 245 sq., 286 sq.; v.15, 88, 119, 172 sq.; 218. Cp. Vin. Texts i.18; ii.148; iii.92.

   -- attharaṇa the dedication of the k. cloth Vin i.266; see next. 

-- atthāra the spreading out, i. e. dedication of the k. cloth by the people to the community of bhikkhus. On rules concerning this distribution and description of the ceremony see Vin i.254 sq.; Bu ix.7; cp. Vin v.128 sq., 205 

-- uddhāra the withdrawal or suspension of the five privileges accorded to a bhikkhu at the k. ceremony Vini.255, 259; iii.262; iv.287, 288; v.177 -- 179, cp. next & Vin. Texts ii.157, 234, 235. 

-- ubbhāra=˚uddhāra, in kaṭhinassa ubbhārāya "for the suspension of the k. privileges" Vin i.255. 

-- khandhaka the chapter or section treating of k., the 7th of the Mahāvagga of the Vinaya Vin ii.253 -- 267. -- cīvara a k. robe made of k. cloth Bu ix.7. 

-- dussa the k. cloth Vin i.254. 

-- maṇḍapa a shed in which the bhikkhus stitched their k. cloth into robes Vin ii.117. 

-- rajju string used to fix the k. cloth on to the frame Vin ii.116. 

-- sālā=˚maṇḍapa Vin ii.116.

Pali-English Dictionary, TW Rhys Davids, William Stede,