catflap.org Online Dictionary Query |
5 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.]
[1913 Webster]
Two years old next grass. --Latham.
[1913 Webster]
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 ]
Reed \Reed\, n. [AS. hre['o]d; akin to D. riet, G. riet, ried,
OHG. kriot, riot.]
1. (Bot.) A name given to many tall and coarse grasses or
grasslike plants, and their slender, often jointed, stems,
such as the various kinds of bamboo, and especially the
common reed of Europe and North America ({Phragmites
communis).
[1913 Webster]
2. A musical instrument made of the hollow joint of some
plant; a rustic or pastoral pipe.
[1913 Webster]
Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed
Of Hermes. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
3. An arrow, as made of a reed. --Prior.
[1913 Webster]
4. Straw prepared for thatching a roof. [Prov. Eng.]
[1913 Webster]
5. (Mus.)
(a) A small piece of cane or wood attached to the
mouthpiece of certain instruments, and set in
vibration by the breath. In the clarinet it is a
single fiat reed; in the oboe and bassoon it is
double, forming a compressed tube.
(b) One of the thin pieces of metal, the vibration of
which produce the tones of a melodeon, accordeon,
harmonium, or seraphine; also attached to certain sets
or registers of pipes in an organ.
[1913 Webster]
6. (Weaving) A frame having parallel flat stripe of metal or
reed, between which the warp threads pass, set in the
swinging lathe or batten of a loom for beating up the
weft; a sley. See Batten.
[1913 Webster]
7. (Mining) A tube containing the train of powder for
igniting the charge in blasting.
[1913 Webster]
8. (Arch.) Same as Reeding.
[1913 Webster]
Egyptian reed (Bot.), the papyrus.
Free reed (Mus.), a reed whose edges do not overlap the
wind passage, -- used in the harmonium, concertina, etc.
It is distinguished from the beating or striking reed of
the organ and clarinet.
Meadow reed grass (Bot.), the Glyceria aquatica, a tall
grass found in wet places.
Reed babbler. See Reedbird.
Reed bunting (Zo["o]l.) A European sparrow ({Emberiza
sch[oe]niclus) which frequents marshy places; -- called
also reed sparrow, ring bunting.
(b) Reedling.
Reed canary grass (Bot.), a tall wild grass ({Phalaris
arundinacea).
Reed grass. (Bot.)
(a) The common reed. See Reed, 1.
(b) A plant of the genus Sparganium; bur reed. See under
Bur.
Reed organ (Mus.), an organ in which the wind acts on a set
of free reeds, as the harmonium, melodeon, concertina,
etc.
Reed pipe (Mus.), a pipe of an organ furnished with a reed.
Reed sparrow. (Zo["o]l.) See Reed bunting, above.
Reed stop (Mus.), a set of pipes in an organ furnished with
reeds.
Reed warbler. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A small European warbler ({Acrocephalus streperus);
-- called also reed wren.
(b) Any one of several species of Indian and Australian
warblers of the genera Acrocephalus, Calamoherpe,
and Arundinax. They are excellent singers.
Sea-sand reed (Bot.), a kind of coarse grass ({Ammophila
arundinacea). See Beach grass, under Beach.
Wood reed grass (Bot.), a tall, elegant grass ({Cinna
arundinacea), common in moist woods.
[1913 Webster]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
Reed \Reed\, n. [AS. hre['o]d; akin to D. riet, G. riet, ried,
OHG. kriot, riot.]
1. (Bot.) A name given to many tall and coarse grasses or
grasslike plants, and their slender, often jointed, stems,
such as the various kinds of bamboo, and especially the
common reed of Europe and North America ({Phragmites
communis).
2. A musical instrument made of the hollow joint of some
plant; a rustic or pastoral pipe.
Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed Of Hermes.
--Milton.
3. An arrow, as made of a reed. --Prior.
4. Straw prepared for thatching a roof. [Prov. Eng.]
5. (Mus.)
(a) A small piece of cane or wood attached to the
mouthpiece of certain instruments, and set in
vibration by the breath. In the clarinet it is a
single fiat reed; in the oboe and bassoon it is
double, forming a compressed tube.
(b) One of the thin pieces of metal, the vibration of
which produce the tones of a melodeon, accordeon,
harmonium, or seraphine; also attached to certain sets
or registers of pipes in an organ.
6. (Weaving) A frame having parallel flat stripe of metal or
reed, between which the warp threads pass, set in the
swinging lathe or batten of a loom for beating up the
weft; a sley. See Batten.
7. (Mining) A tube containing the train of powder for
igniting the charge in blasting.
8. (Arch.) Same as Reeding.
Egyptian reed (Bot.), the papyrus.
Free reed (Mus.), a reed whose edges do not overlap the
wind passage, -- used in the harmonium, concertina, etc.
It is distinguished from the beating or striking reed of
the organ and clarinet.
Meadow reed grass (Bot.), the Glyceria aquatica, a tall
grass found in wet places.
Reed babbler. See Reedbird.
Reed bunting (Zo["o]l.) A European sparrow ({Emberiza
sch[oe]niclus) which frequents marshy places; -- called
also reed sparrow, ring bunting.
(b) Reedling.
Reed canary grass (Bot.), a tall wild grass ({Phalaris
arundinacea).
Reed grass. (Bot.)
(a) The common reed. See Reed, 1.
(b) A plant of the genus Sparganium; bur reed. See under
Bur.
Reed organ (Mus.), an organ in which the wind acts on a set
of free reeds, as the harmonium, melodeon, concertina,
etc.
Reed pipe (Mus.), a pipe of an organ furnished with a reed.
Reed sparrow. (Zo["o]l.) See Reed bunting, above.
Reed stop (Mus.), a set of pipes in an organ furnished with
reeds.
Reed warbler. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A small European warbler ({Acrocephalus streperus);
-- called also reed wren.
(b) Any one of several species of Indian and Australian
warblers of the genera Acrocephalus, Calamoherpe,
and Arundinax. They are excellent singers.
Sea-sand reed (Bot.), a kind of coarse grass ({Ammophila
arundinacea). See Beach grass, under Beach.
Wood reed grass (Bot.), a tall, elegant grass ({Cinna
arundinacea), common in moist woods.
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.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 : [ wn ]
Phalaris arundinacea
n : perennial grass of marshy meadows and ditches having broad
leaves; Europe and North America [syn: reed canary grass,
gardener's garters, lady's laces, ribbon grass]
Questions or comments about this site? Contact dictionary@catflap.org
Access Stats