Note 4 - Supplemental Financial Statement Information - Balance Sheet Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Nov. 30, 2019	Dec. 01, 2018	Dec. 02, 2017
Raw materials	$ 150,338	$ 169,228
Finished goods	186,929	179,233
Total inventories	337,267	348,461
Other receivables	26,258	26,542
Prepaid income taxes	23,112	31,899
Prepaid taxes other than income taxes	16,836	16,718
Prepaid expenses	20,862	19,161
Assets held for sale	3,655	1,337
Total other current assets	90,723	95,657
Land	79,631	79,745
Buildings and improvements	362,114	369,072
Machinery and equipment	808,154	815,084
Construction in progress	54,332	39,689
Total, at cost	1,304,231	1,303,590
Accumulated depreciation	(674,418)	(667,041)
Net property, plant and equipment	629,813	636,549	$ 670,194
Investments and company owned life insurance	8,870	8,596
Equity method investments	53,696	51,454
Equity Securities without Readily Determinable Fair Value, Amount	1,667	1,669
Long-term deferred income taxes	29,037	27,112
Other long-term receivables	46,887	46,755
Other long-term assets	14,129	14,185
Total other assets	241,352	236,524
Taxes other than income taxes	15,031	16,592
Miscellaneous services	5,541	7,694
Customer rebates	11,293	10,082
Interest	4,572	5,996
Insurance	178	401
Product liability	978	1,249
Contingent consideration liability	3,400	3,610
Accrued expenses	19,752	30,164
Total other accrued expenses	60,745	75,788
Other liabilities:
Asset Retirement Obligations, Noncurrent, Total	2,952	3,646
Long-term deferred income taxes	177,530	214,295
Long-term income tax liability	10,088	9,609
Long-term deferred compensation	6,929	5,974
Postretirement other than pension	2,879	2,603
Environmental liabilities	4,657	5,183
Other long-term liabilities	37,155	23,458
Total other liabilities	242,190	264,768
Pension Plan [Member]
Prepaid postretirement costs	28,759	37,881
Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Prepaid postretirement costs	$ 58,307	$ 48,872