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4 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Grass \Grass\, n. [OE. gras, gres, gers, AS, gr[ae]s, g[ae]rs;
akin to OFries. gres, gers, OS., D., G., Icel., & Goth. gras,
Dan. gr[ae]s, Sw. gr[aum]s, and prob. to E. green, grow. Cf.
Graze.]
1. Popularly: Herbage; the plants which constitute the food
of cattle and other beasts; pasture.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) An endogenous plant having simple leaves, a stem
generally jointed and tubular, the husks or glumes in
pairs, and the seed single.
[1913 Webster]
Note: This definition includes wheat, rye, oats, barley,
etc., and excludes clover and some other plants which
are commonly called by the name of grass. The grasses
form a numerous family of plants.
[1913 Webster]
3. The season of fresh grass; spring. [Colloq.]
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Two years old next grass. --Latham.
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4. Metaphorically used for what is transitory.
[1913 Webster]
Surely the people is grass. --Is. xl. 7.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The following list includes most of the grasses of the
United States of special interest, except cereals. Many
of these terms will be found with definitions in the
Vocabulary. See Illustrations in Appendix. Barnyard
grass, for hay. South. Panicum Grus-galli. Bent,
pasture and hay. Agrostis, several species. Bermuda
grass, pasture. South. Cynodon Dactylon. Black bent.
Same as Switch grass (below). Blue bent, hay. North
and West. Andropogon provincialis. Blue grass,
pasture. Poa compressa. Blue joint, hay. Northwest.
Aqropyrum glaucum. Buffalo grass, grazing. Rocky
Mts., etc.
(a) Buchlo["e] dectyloides.
(b) Same as Grama grass (below). Bunch grass, grazing.
Far West. Eriocoma, Festuca, Stips, etc. Chess,
or Cheat, a weed. Bromus secalinus, etc. Couch
grass. Same as Quick grass (below). Crab grass,
(a) Hay, in South. A weed, in North. Panicum sanguinale.
(b) Pasture and hay. South. Eleusine Indica. Darnel
(a) Bearded, a noxious weed. Lolium temulentum.
(b) Common. Same as Rye grass (below). Drop seed, fair
for forage and hay. Muhlenbergia, several species.
English grass. Same as Redtop (below). Fowl meadow
grass.
(a) Pasture and hay. Poa serotina.
(b) Hay, on moist land. Gryceria nervata. Gama grass,
cut fodder. South. Tripsacum dactyloides. Grama
grass, grazing. West and Pacific slope. Bouteloua
oligostachya, etc. Great bunch grass, pasture and
hay. Far West. Festuca scabrella. Guinea grass, hay.
South. Panicum jumentorum. Herd's grass, in New
England Timothy, in Pennsylvania and South Redtop.
Indian grass. Same as Wood grass (below). Italian
rye grass, forage and hay. Lolium Italicum. Johnson
grass, grazing and hay. South and Southwest. Sorghum
Halepense. Kentucky blue grass, pasture. Poa
pratensis. Lyme grass, coarse hay. South. Elymus,
several species. Manna grass, pasture and hay.
Glyceria, several species. Meadow fescue, pasture
and hay. Festuca elatior. Meadow foxtail, pasture,
hay, lawn. North. Alopecurus pratensis. Meadow
grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Poa, several species.
Mesquite grass, or Muskit grass. Same as Grama grass
(above). Nimble Will, a kind of drop seed.
Muhlenbergia diffsa. Orchard grass, pasture and hay.
Dactylis glomerata. Porcupine grass, troublesome to
sheep. Northwest. Stipa spartea. Quaking grass,
ornamental. Briza media and maxima. Quitch, or
Quick, grass, etc., a weed. Agropyrum repens. Ray
grass. Same as Rye grass (below). Redtop, pasture
and hay. Agrostis vulgaris. Red-topped buffalo
grass, forage. Northwest. Poa tenuifolia. Reed
canary grass, of slight value. Phalaris arundinacea.
Reed meadow grass, hay. North. Glyceria aquatica.
Ribbon grass, a striped leaved form of Reed canary
grass. Rye grass, pasture, hay. Lolium perenne,
var. Seneca grass, fragrant basket work, etc. North.
Hierochloa borealis. Sesame grass. Same as Gama
grass (above). Sheep's fescue, sheep pasture, native
in Northern Europe and Asia. Festuca ovina. Small
reed grass, meadow pasture and hay. North. Deyeuxia
Canadensis. Spear grass, Same as Meadow grass
(above). Squirrel-tail grass, troublesome to animals.
Seacoast and Northwest. Hordeum jubatum. Switch
grass, hay, cut young. Panicum virgatum. Timothy,
cut young, the best of hay. North. Phleum pratense.
Velvet grass, hay on poor soil. South. Holcus
lanatus. Vernal grass, pasture, hay, lawn.
Anthoxanthum odoratum. Wire grass, valuable in
pastures. Poa compressa. Wood grass, Indian grass,
hay. Chrysopogon nutans.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Many plants are popularly called grasses which are not
true grasses botanically considered, such as black
grass, goose grass, star grass, etc.
[1913 Webster]
Black+grass,+a+kind+of+small+rush+({Juncus+Gerardi" rel="nofollow">Black grass, a kind of small rush ({Juncus Gerardi),
growing in salt marshes, used for making salt hay.
Grass of the Andes, an oat grass, the Arrhenatherum
avenaceum of Europe.
Grass of Parnassus, a plant of the genus Parnassia
growing in wet ground. The European species is Parnassia
palustris; in the United States there are several
species.
Grass bass (Zo["o]l.), the calico bass.
Grass bird, the dunlin.
Grass cloth, a cloth woven from the tough fibers of the
grass-cloth plant.
Grass-cloth plant, a perennial herb of the Nettle family
({B[oe]hmeria nivea syn. Urtica nivea), which grows in
Sumatra, China, and Assam, whose inner bark has fine and
strong fibers suited for textile purposes.
Grass finch. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A common American sparrow ({Po["o]c[ae]tes
gramineus); -- called also vesper sparrow and
bay-winged bunting.
(b) Any Australian finch, of the genus Po["e]phila, of
which several species are known.
Grass lamb, a lamb suckled by a dam running on pasture land
and giving rich milk.
Grass land, land kept in grass and not tilled.
Grass moth (Zo["o]l.), one of many small moths of the genus
Crambus, found in grass.
Grass oil, a fragrant essential volatile oil, obtained in
India from grasses of the genus Andropogon, etc.; --
used in perfumery under the name of citronella, ginger
grass oil, lemon grass oil, essence of verbena etc.
Grass owl (Zo["o]l.), a South African owl ({Strix
Capensis).
Grass parrakeet (Zo["o]l.), any of several species of
Australian parrots, of the genus Euphemia; -- also
applied to the zebra parrakeet.
Grass plover (Zo["o]l.), the upland or field plover.
Grass poly (Bot.), a species of willowwort ({Lythrum
Hyssopifolia). --Johnson.
Crass quit (Zo["o]l.), one of several tropical American
finches of the genus Euetheia. The males have most of
the head and chest black and often marked with yellow.
Grass snake. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The common English, or ringed, snake ({Tropidonotus
natrix).
(b) The common green snake of the Northern United States.
See Green snake, under Green.
Grass snipe (Zo["o]l.), the pectoral sandpiper ({Tringa
maculata); -- called also jacksnipe in America.
Grass spider (Zo["o]l.), a common spider ({Agelena
n[ae]via), which spins flat webs on grass, conspicuous
when covered with dew.
Grass sponge (Zo["o]l.), an inferior kind of commercial
sponge from Florida and the Bahamas.
Grass table. (Arch.) See Earth table, under Earth.
Grass+vetch+(Bot.),+a+vetch+({Lathyrus+Nissolia" rel="nofollow">Grass vetch (Bot.), a vetch ({Lathyrus Nissolia), with
narrow grasslike leaves.
Grass widow. [Cf. Prov. R. an unmarried mother, G.
strohwittwe a mock widow, Sw. gr["a]senka a grass widow.]
(a) An unmarried woman who is a mother. [Obs.]
(b) A woman separated from her husband by abandonment or
prolonged absence; a woman living apart from her
husband. [Slang.]
Grass wrack (Bot.) eelgrass.
To bring to grass (Mining.), to raise, as ore, to the
surface of the ground.
To put to grass, To put out to grass, to put out to graze
a season, as cattle.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Indian \In"di*an\ (?; 277), a. [From India, and this fr. Indus,
the name of a river in Asia, L. Indus, Gr. ?, OPers. Hindu,
name of the land on the Indus, Skr. sindhu river, the Indus.
Cf. Hindu.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Of or pertaining to India proper; also to the East Indies,
or, sometimes, to the West Indies.
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2. Of or pertaining to the aborigines, or Indians, of
America; as, Indian wars; the Indian tomahawk.
[1913 Webster]
3. Made of maize or Indian corn; as, Indian corn, Indian
meal, Indian bread, and the like. [U.S.]
[1913 Webster]
Indian+bay+(Bot.),+a+lauraceous+tree+({Persea+Indica" rel="nofollow">Indian bay (Bot.), a lauraceous tree ({Persea Indica).
Indian bean (Bot.), a name of the catalpa.
Indian berry. (Bot.) Same as Cocculus indicus.
Indian bread. (Bot.) Same as Cassava.
Indian club, a wooden club, which is swung by the hand for
gymnastic exercise.
Indian cordage, cordage made of the fibers of cocoanut
husk.
Indian cress (Bot.), nasturtium. See Nasturtium, 2.
Indian cucumber (Bot.), a plant of the genus Medeola
({Medeola Virginica), a common in woods in the United
States. The white rootstock has a taste like cucumbers.
Indian currant (Bot.), a plant of the genus
Symphoricarpus+({Symphoricarpus+vulgaris" rel="nofollow">Symphoricarpus ({Symphoricarpus vulgaris), bearing
small red berries.
Indian dye, the puccoon.
Indian fig. (Bot.)
(a) The banyan. See Banyan.
(b) The prickly pear.
Indian file, single file; arrangement of persons in a row
following one after another, the usual way among Indians
of traversing woods, especially when on the war path.
Indian fire, a pyrotechnic composition of sulphur, niter,
and realgar, burning with a brilliant white light.
Indian grass (Bot.), a coarse, high grass ({Chrysopogon
nutans), common in the southern portions of the United
States; wood grass. --Gray.
Indian hemp. (Bot.)
(a) A plant of the genus Apocynum ({Apocynum
cannabinum), having a milky juice, and a tough,
fibrous bark, whence the name. The root it used in
medicine and is both emetic and cathartic in
properties.
(b) The variety of common hemp ({Cannabis Indica), from
which hasheesh is obtained.
Indian mallow (Bot.), the velvet leaf ({Abutilon
Avicenn[ae]). See Abutilon.
Indian meal, ground corn or maize. [U.S.]
Indian millet (Bot.), a tall annual grass ({Sorghum
vulgare), having many varieties, among which are broom
corn, Guinea corn, durra, and the Chinese sugar cane. It
is called also Guinea corn. See Durra.
Indian ox (Zo["o]l.), the zebu.
Indian paint. See Bloodroot.
Indian paper. See India paper, under India.
Indian physic (Bot.), a plant of two species of the genus
Gillenia+({Gillenia+trifoliata" rel="nofollow">Gillenia ({Gillenia trifoliata, and Gillenia
stipulacea), common in the United States, the roots of
which are used in medicine as a mild emetic; -- called
also American ipecac, and bowman's root. --Gray.
Indian pink. (Bot.)
(a) The Cypress vine ({Ipom[oe]a Quamoclit); -- so called
in the West Indies.
(b) See China pink, under China.
Indian pipe (Bot.), a low, fleshy herb ({Monotropa
uniflora), growing in clusters in dark woods, and having
scalelike leaves, and a solitary nodding flower. The whole
plant is waxy white, but turns black in drying.
Indian plantain (Bot.), a name given to several species of
the genus Cacalia, tall herbs with composite white
flowers, common through the United States in rich woods.
--Gray.
Indian poke (Bot.), a plant usually known as the white
hellebore ({Veratrum viride}).
Indian pudding, a pudding of which the chief ingredients
are Indian meal, milk, and molasses.
Indian purple.
(a) A dull purple color.
(b) The pigment of the same name, intensely blue and
black.
Indian red.
(a) A purplish red earth or pigment composed of a silicate
of iron and alumina, with magnesia. It comes from the
Persian Gulf. Called also Persian red.
(b) See Almagra.
Indian rice (Bot.), a reedlike water grass. See Rice.
Indian shot (Bot.), a plant of the genus Canna ({Canna
Indica). The hard black seeds are as large as swan shot.
See Canna.
Indian summer, in the United States, a period of warm and
pleasant weather occurring late in autumn. See under
Summer.
Indian tobacco (Bot.), a species of Lobelia. See
Lobelia.
Indian turnip (Bot.), an American plant of the genus
Aris[ae]ma. Aris[ae]ma triphyllum has a wrinkled
farinaceous root resembling a small turnip, but with a
very acrid juice. See Jack in the Pulpit, and
Wake-robin.
Indian wheat, maize or Indian corn.
Indian yellow.
(a) An intense rich yellow color, deeper than gamboge but
less pure than cadmium.
(b) See Euxanthin.
[1913 Webster]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
Indian \In"di*an\ (?; 277), a. [From India, and this fr. Indus,
the name of a river in Asia, L. Indus, Gr. ?, OPers. Hindu,
name of the land on the Indus, Skr. sindhu river, the Indus.
Cf. Hindoo.]
1. Of or pertaining to India proper; also to the East Indies,
or, sometimes, to the West Indies.
2. Of or pertaining to the aborigines, or Indians, of
America; as, Indian wars; the Indian tomahawk.
3. Made of maize or Indian corn; as, Indian corn, Indian
meal, Indian bread, and the like. [U.S.]
Indian+bay+(Bot.),+a+lauraceous+tree+({Persea+Indica" rel="nofollow">Indian bay (Bot.), a lauraceous tree ({Persea Indica).
Indian bean (Bot.), a name of the catalpa.
Indian berry. (Bot.) Same as Cocculus indicus.
Indian bread. (Bot.) Same as Cassava.
Indian club, a wooden club, which is swung by the hand for
gymnastic exercise.
Indian cordage, cordage made of the fibers of cocoanut
husk.
Indian+corn+(Bot.),+a+plant+of+the+genus+Zea+({Z.+Mays" rel="nofollow">Indian corn (Bot.), a plant of the genus Zea ({Z. Mays);
the maize, a native of America. See Corn, and Maize.
Indian cress (Bot.), nasturtium. See Nasturtium, 2.
Indian cucumber (Bot.), a plant of the genus Medeola ({M.
Virginica), a common in woods in the United States. The
white rootstock has a taste like cucumbers.
Indian currant (Bot.), a plant of the genus
Symphoricarpus+({S.+vulgaris" rel="nofollow">Symphoricarpus ({S. vulgaris), bearing small red
berries.
Indian dye, the puccoon.
Indian fig. (Bot.)
(a) The banyan. See Banyan.
(b) The prickly pear.
Indian file, single file; arrangement of persons in a row
following one after another, the usual way among Indians
of traversing woods, especially when on the war path.
Indian fire, a pyrotechnic composition of sulphur, niter,
and realgar, burning with a brilliant white light.
Indian grass (Bot.), a coarse, high grass ({Chrysopogon
nutans), common in the southern portions of the United
States; wood grass. --Gray.
Indian hemp. (Bot.)
Apocynum+({A.+cannabinum" rel="nofollow">(a) A plant of the genus Apocynum ({A. cannabinum),
having a milky juice, and a tough, fibrous bark,
whence the name. The root it used in medicine and is
both emetic and cathartic in properties.
(b) The variety of common hemp ({Cannabis Indica), from
which hasheesh is obtained.
Indian mallow (Bot.), the velvet leaf ({Abutilon
Avicenn[ae]). See Abutilon.
Indian meal, ground corn or maize. [U.S.]
Indian millet (Bot.), a tall annual grass ({Sorghum
vulgare), having many varieties, among which are broom
corn, Guinea corn, durra, and the Chinese sugar cane. It
is called also Guinea corn. See Durra.
Indian ox (Zo["o]l.), the zebu.
Indian paint. See Bloodroot.
Indian paper. See India paper, under India.
Indian physic (Bot.), a plant of two species of the genus
Gillenia+({G.+trifoliata" rel="nofollow">Gillenia ({G. trifoliata, and G. stipulacea), common
in the United States, the roots of which are used in
medicine as a mild emetic; -- called also American
ipecac, and bowman's root. --Gray.
Indian pink. (Bot.)
(a) The Cypress vine ({Ipom[oe]a Quamoclit); -- so called
in the West Indies.
(b) See China pink, under China.
Indian pipe (Bot.), a low, fleshy herb ({Monotropa
uniflora), growing in clusters in dark woods, and having
scalelike leaves, and a solitary nodding flower. The whole
plant is waxy white, but turns black in drying.
Indian plantain (Bot.), a name given to several species of
the genus Cacalia, tall herbs with composite white
flowers, common through the United States in rich woods.
--Gray.
Indian poke (Bot.), a plant usually known as the white
hellebore ({Veratrum viride}).
Indian pudding, a pudding of which the chief ingredients
are Indian meal, milk, and molasses.
Indian purple.
(a) A dull purple color.
(b) The pigment of the same name, intensely blue and
black.
Indian red.
(a) A purplish red earth or pigment composed of a silicate
of iron and alumina, with magnesia. It comes from the
Persian Gulf. Called also Persian red.
(b) See Almagra.
Indian rice (Bot.), a reedlike water grass. See Rice.
Indian shot (Bot.), a plant of the genus Canna ({C.
Indica). The hard black seeds are as large as swan shot.
See Canna.
Indian summer, in the United States, a period of warm and
pleasant weather occurring late in autumn. See under
Summer.
Indian tobacco (Bot.), a species of Lobelia. See
Lobelia.
Indian turnip (Bot.), an American plant of the genus
Aris[ae]ma. A. triphyllum has a wrinkled farinaceous
root resembling a small turnip, but with a very acrid
juice. See Jack in the Pulpit, and Wake-robin.
Indian wheat, maize or Indian corn.
Indian yellow.
(a) An intense rich yellow color, deeper than gamboge but
less pure than cadmium.
(b) See Euxanthin.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
Nimble Will, a kind of drop seed. Muhlenbergia diffsa. Orchard
grass, pasture and hay. Dactylis glomerata. Porcupine grass,
troublesome to sheep. Northwest. Stipa spartea. Quaking grass,
ornamental. Briza media and maxima. Quitch, or Quick, grass,
etc., a weed. Agropyrum repens. Ray grass. Same as Rye grass
(below). Redtop, pasture and hay. Agrostis vulgaris.
Red-topped buffalo grass, forage. Northwest. Poa tenuifolia.
Reed canary grass, of slight value. Phalaris arundinacea. Reed
meadow grass, hay. North. Glyceria aquatica. Ribbon grass, a
striped leaved form of Reed canary grass. Rye grass, pasture,
hay. Lolium perenne, var. Seneca grass, fragrant basket work,
etc. North. Hierochloa borealis. Sesame grass. Same as Gama
grass (above). Sheep's fescue, sheep pasture, native in
Northern Europe and Asia. Festuca ovina. Small reed grass,
meadow pasture and hay. North. Deyeuxia Canadensis. Spear
grass, Same as Meadow grass (above). Squirrel-tail grass,
troublesome to animals. Seacoast and Northwest. Hordeum
jubatum. Switch grass, hay, cut young. Panicum virgatum.
Timothy, cut young, the best of hay. North. Phleum pratense.
Velvet grass, hay on poor soil. South. Holcus lanatus. Vernal
grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Anthoxanthum odoratum. Wire grass,
valuable in pastures. Poa compressa. Wood grass, Indian grass,
hay. Chrysopogon nutans.
Note: Many plants are popularly called grasses which are not
true grasses botanically considered, such as black
grass, goose grass, star grass, etc.
Black+grass,+a+kind+of+small+rush+({Juncus+Gerardi" rel="nofollow">Black grass, a kind of small rush ({Juncus Gerardi),
growing in salt marshes, used for making salt hay.
Grass of the Andes, an oat grass, the Arrhenatherum
avenaceum of Europe.
Grass of Parnassus, a plant of the genus Parnassia
growing in wet ground. The European species is P.
palustris; in the United States there are several
species.
Grass bass (Zo["o]l.), the calico bass.
Grass bird, the dunlin.
Grass cloth, a cloth woven from the tough fibers of the
grass-cloth plant.
Grass-cloth plant, a perennial herb of the Nettle family
({B[oe]hmeria nivea or Urtica nivea), which grows in
Sumatra, China, and Assam, whose inner bark has fine and
strong fibers suited for textile purposes.
Grass finch. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A common American sparrow ({Po["o]c[ae]tes
gramineus); -- called also vesper sparrow and
bay-winged bunting.
(b) Any Australian finch, of the genus Po["e]phila, of
which several species are known.
Grass lamb, a lamb suckled by a dam running on pasture land
and giving rich milk.
Grass land, land kept in grass and not tilled.
Grass moth (Zo["o]l.), one of many small moths of the genus
Crambus, found in grass.
Grass oil, a fragrant essential volatile oil, obtained in
India from grasses of the genus Andropogon, etc.; --
used in perfumery under the name of citronella, ginger
grass oil, lemon grass oil, essence of verbena etc.
Grass owl (Zo["o]l.), a South African owl ({Strix
Capensis).
Grass parrakeet (Zo["o]l.), any of several species of
Australian parrots, of the genus Euphemia; -- also
applied to the zebra parrakeet.
Grass plover (Zo["o]l.), the upland or field plover.
Grass poly (Bot.), a species of willowwort ({Lythrum
Hyssopifolia). --Johnson.
Crass quit (Zo["o]l.), one of several tropical American
finches of the genus Euetheia. The males have most of
the head and chest black and often marked with yellow.
Grass snake. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The common English, or ringed, snake ({Tropidonotus
natrix).
(b) The common green snake of the Northern United States.
See Green snake, under Green.
Grass snipe (Zo["o]l.), the pectoral sandpiper ({Tringa
maculata); -- called also jacksnipe in America.
Grass spider (Zo["o]l.), a common spider ({Agelena
n[ae]via), which spins flat webs on grass, conspicuous
when covered with dew.
Grass sponge (Zo["o]l.), an inferior kind of commercial
sponge from Florida and the Bahamas.
Grass table. (Arch.) See Earth table, under Earth.
Grass+vetch+(Bot.),+a+vetch+({Lathyrus+Nissolia" rel="nofollow">Grass vetch (Bot.), a vetch ({Lathyrus Nissolia), with
narrow grasslike leaves.
Grass widow. [Cf. Prov. R. an unmarried mother, G.
strohwittwe a mock widow, Sw. gr["a]senka a grass widow.]
(a) An unmarried woman who is a mother. [Obs.]
(b) A woman separated from her husband by abandonment or
prolonged absence; a woman living apart from her
husband. [Slang.]
Grass wrack (Bot.) eelgrass.
To bring to grass (Mining.), to raise, as ore, to the
surface of the ground.
To put to grass, To put out to grass, to put out to graze
a season, as cattle.
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