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A aepypterus Note: The common or sea lamprey of America and Europe
(Petromyzon marinus), which in spring ascends rivers
to spawn, is considered excellent food by many, and is
sold as a market fish in some localities. The smaller
river lampreys mostly belong to the genus
Ammoc[oe]les, or Lampetra, as A. fluviatilis, of
Europe, and A. [ae]pypterus of America. All lampreys
attach themselves to other fishes, as parasites, by
means of the suckerlike mouth.
A agrestis Vole Vole, n. (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of numerous species of micelike rodents belonging to
Arvicola and allied genera of the subfamily
Arvicolin[ae]. They have a thick head, short ears, and a
short hairy tail.
Note: The water vole, or water rat, of Europe (Arvicola
amphibius) is a common large aquatic species. The
short-tailed field vole (A. agrestis) of Northern and
Central Europe, and Asia, the Southern field vole (A.
arvalis), and the Siberian root vole (A.
[oe]conomus), are important European species. The
common species of the Eastern United States (A.
riparius) (called also meadow mouse) and the prairie
mouse (A. austerus) are abundant, and often injurious
to vegetation. Other species are found in Canada.
A alba Egret E"gret, n. [See Aigret, Heron.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) The name of several species of herons which
bear plumes on the back. They are generally white. Among
the best known species are the American egret (Ardea, or
Herodias, egretta); the great egret (A. alba); the
little egret (A. garzetta), of Europe; and the American
snowy egret (A. candidissima).
A bunch of egrets killed for their plumage. --G. W.
Cable.
2. A plume or tuft of feathers worn as a part of a headdress,
or anything imitating such an ornament; an aigrette.
3. (Bot.) The flying feathery or hairy crown of seeds or
achenes, as the down of the thistle.
4. (Zo["o]l.) A kind of ape.
A alnifolia Shad Shad (sh[a^]d), n. sing. & pl. [AS. sceadda a kind of
fish, akin to Prov. G. schade; cf. Ir. & Gael. sgadan a
herring, W. ysgadan herrings; all perhaps akin to E. skate a
fish.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of several species of food fishes of the Herring
family. The American species (Clupea sapidissima), which is
abundant on the Atlantic coast and ascends the larger rivers
in spring to spawn, is an important market fish. The European
allice shad, or alose (C. alosa), and the twaite shad. (C.
finta), are less important species. [Written also chad.]
Note: The name is loosely applied, also, to several other
fishes, as the gizzard shad (see under Gizzard),
called also mud shad, white-eyed shad, and winter
shad.
Hardboaded, or Yellow-tailed, shad, the menhaden.
Hickory, or Tailor, shad, the mattowacca.
Long-boned shad, one of several species of important food
fishes of the Bermudas and the West Indies, of the genus
Gerres.
Shad bush (Bot.), a name given to the North American shrubs
or small trees of the rosaceous genus Amelanchier (A.
Canadensis, and A. alnifolia) Their white racemose
blossoms open in April or May, when the shad appear, and
the edible berries (pomes) ripen in June or July, whence
they are called Juneberries. The plant is also called
service tree, and Juneberry.
Shad frog, an American spotted frog (Rana halecina); --
so called because it usually appears at the time when the
shad begin to run in the rivers.
Trout shad, the squeteague.
White shad, the common shad.
A Americana Maguey Mag"uey, n. [Sp. maguey, Mexican maguei and metl.]
(Bot.)
The century plant, a species of Agave (A. Americana). See
Agave.
A Americana Agave A*ga"ve, n. [L. Agave, prop. name, fr. Gr. ?, fem. of ?
illustrious, noble.] (bot.)
A genus of plants (order Amaryllidace[ae]) of which the
chief species is the maguey or century plant (A.
Americana), wrongly called Aloe. It is from ten to seventy
years, according to climate, in attaining maturity, when it
produces a gigantic flower stem, sometimes forty feet in
height, and perishes. The fermented juice is the pulque of
the Mexicans; distilled, it yields mescal. A strong thread
and a tough paper are made from the leaves, and the wood has
many uses.
A Americanus Lant Lant, n. [Cf. Lance.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of several species of small, slender, marine fishes
of the genus Ammedytes. The common European species (A.
tobianus) and the American species (A. Americanus) live on
sandy shores, buried in the sand, and are caught in large
quantities for bait. Called also launce, and sand eel.
A Americanus Moose Moose, n. [A native name; Knisteneaux mouswah; Algonquin
monse. Mackenzie.] (Zo["o]l.)
A large cervine mammal (Alces machlis, or A. Americanus),
native of the Northern United States and Canada. The adult
male is about as large as a horse, and has very large,
palmate antlers. It closely resembles the European elk, and
by many zo["o]logists is considered the same species. See
Elk.
Moose bird (Zo["o]l.), the Canada jayor whisky jack. See
Whisky jack.
Moose deer. Same as Moose.
Moose yard (Zo["o]l.), a locality where moose, in winter,
herd together in a forest to feed and for mutual
protection.
A arborea Lark Lark, n. [OE. larke, laverock, AS. l[=a]werce; akin to D.
leeuwerik, LG. lewerke, OHG. l?rahha, G. lerche, Sw.
l["a]rka, Dan. lerke, Icel. l[ae]virki.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one numerous species of singing birds of the genus
Alauda and allied genera (family Alaudid[ae]). They
mostly belong to Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. In
America they are represented by the shore larks, or horned by
the shore larks, or horned larks, of the genus Otocoris.
The true larks have holaspidean tarsi, very long hind claws,
and usually, dull, sandy brown colors.
Note: The European skylark, or lark of the poets (Alauda
arvensis), is of a brown mottled color, and is noted
for its clear and sweet song, uttered as it rises and
descends almost perpendicularly in the air. It is
considered a table delicacy, and immense numbers are
killed for the markets. Other well-known European
species are the crested, or tufted, lark (Alauda
cristata), and the wood lark (A. arborea). The
pipits, or titlarks, of the genus Anthus (family
Motacillid[ae]) are often called larks. See Pipit.
The American meadow larks, of the genus Sturnella,
are allied to the starlings. See Meadow Lark. The
Australian bush lark is Mirafra Horsfieldii. See
Shore lark.
Lark bunting (Zo["o]l.), a fringilline bird (Calamospiza
melanocorys) found on the plains of the Western United
States.
Lark sparrow (Zo["o]l.), a sparrow (Chondestes
grammacus), found in the Mississippi Valley and the
Western United States.
A artemisiaefolia Bitterweed Bit"ter*weed`, n. (Bot.)
A species of Ambrosia (A. artemisi[ae]folia); Roman worm
wood. --Gray.
A arvalis Vole Vole, n. (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of numerous species of micelike rodents belonging to
Arvicola and allied genera of the subfamily
Arvicolin[ae]. They have a thick head, short ears, and a
short hairy tail.
Note: The water vole, or water rat, of Europe (Arvicola
amphibius) is a common large aquatic species. The
short-tailed field vole (A. agrestis) of Northern and
Central Europe, and Asia, the Southern field vole (A.
arvalis), and the Siberian root vole (A.
[oe]conomus), are important European species. The
common species of the Eastern United States (A.
riparius) (called also meadow mouse) and the prairie
mouse (A. austerus) are abundant, and often injurious
to vegetation. Other species are found in Canada.
A arvensis Pimpernel Pim"per*nel, n. [F. pimprenelle; cf. Sp. pimpinela,
It. pimpinella; perh. from LL. bipinnella, for bipinnula
two-winged, equiv. to L. bipennis; bis twice + penna feather,
wing. Cf. Pen a feather.] (Bot.)
A plant of the genus Anagallis, of which one species (A.
arvensis) has small flowers, usually scarlet, but sometimes
purple, blue, or white, which speedily close at the approach
of bad weather.
Water pimpernel. (Bot.) See Brookweed.
A athamanticum Male Male, a. [F. m[^a]le, OF. masle, mascle, fr. L. masculus
male, masculine, dim. of mas a male; possibly akin to E. man.
Cf. Masculine, Marry, v. t.]
1. Of or pertaining to the sex that begets or procreates
young, or (in a wider sense) to the sex that produces
spermatozoa, by which the ova are fertilized; not female;
as, male organs.
2. (Bot.) Capable of producing fertilization, but not of
bearing fruit; -- said of stamens and antheridia, and of
the plants, or parts of plants, which bear them.
3. Suitable to the male sex; characteristic or suggestive of
a male; masculine; as, male courage.
4. Consisting of males; as, a male choir.
5. (Mech.) Adapted for entering another corresponding piece
(the female piece) which is hollow and which it fits; as,
a male gauge, for gauging the size or shape of a hole; a
male screw, etc.
Male berry (Bot.), a kind of coffee. See Pea berry.
Male fern (Bot.), a fern of the genus Aspidium (A.
Filixmas), used in medicine as an anthelmintic, esp.
against the tapeworm. Aspidium marginale in America, and
A. athamanticum in South Africa, are used as good
substitutes for the male fern in medical practice. See
Female fern, under Female.
Male rhyme, a rhyme in which only the last syllables agree,
as laid, afraid, dismayed. See Female rhyme, under
Female.
Male screw (Mech.), a screw having threads upon its
exterior which enter the grooves upon the inside of a
corresponding nut or female screw.
Male thread, the thread of a male screw.
A atricapillus Goshawk Gos"hawk`, n. [AS. g?shafuc, lit., goosehawk; or Icel.
g[=a]shaukr. See Goose, and Hawk the bird.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any large hawk of the genus Astur, of which many species
and varieties are known. The European (Astur palumbarius)
and the American (A. atricapillus) are the best known
species. They are noted for their powerful flight, activity,
and courage. The Australian goshawk (A.
Nov[ae]-Hollandi[ae]) is pure white.
A aurea Colicroot Col"ic*root`, n.
A bitter American herb of the Bloodwort family, with the
leaves all radical, and the small yellow or white flowers in
a long spike (Aletris farinosa and A. aurea). Called
sometimes star grass, blackroot, blazing star, and unicorn
root.
A austerus Vole Vole, n. (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of numerous species of micelike rodents belonging to
Arvicola and allied genera of the subfamily
Arvicolin[ae]. They have a thick head, short ears, and a
short hairy tail.
Note: The water vole, or water rat, of Europe (Arvicola
amphibius) is a common large aquatic species. The
short-tailed field vole (A. agrestis) of Northern and
Central Europe, and Asia, the Southern field vole (A.
arvalis), and the Siberian root vole (A.
[oe]conomus), are important European species. The
common species of the Eastern United States (A.
riparius) (called also meadow mouse) and the prairie
mouse (A. austerus) are abundant, and often injurious
to vegetation. Other species are found in Canada.
A australis Kivikivi Ki`vi*ki"vi, Kiwikiwi Ki`wi*ki"wi, n.; pl.
Kivikivies (?), Kiwikiwies. (Zo["o]l.)
Any species of Apteryx, esp. A. australis; -- so called in
imitation of its notes. Called also kiwi. See Apteryx.
A B C A B C A B C" ([=a] b[=e] s[=e]").
1. The first three letters of the alphabet, used for the
whole alphabet.
2. A primer for teaching the alphabet and first elements of
reading. [Obs.]
3. The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of
finance.
A B C book, a primer. --Shak.
A B C book A B C A B C" ([=a] b[=e] s[=e]").
1. The first three letters of the alphabet, used for the
whole alphabet.
2. A primer for teaching the alphabet and first elements of
reading. [Obs.]
3. The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of
finance.
A B C book, a primer. --Shak.
A balsamifera Poison Poi"son, n. [F. poison, in Old French also, a potion,
fr. L. potio a drink, draught, potion, a poisonous draught,
fr. potare to drink. See Potable, and cf. Potion.]
1. Any agent which, when introduced into the animal organism,
is capable of producing a morbid, noxious, or deadly
effect upon it; as, morphine is a deadly poison; the
poison of pestilential diseases.
2. That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as,
the poison of evil example; the poison of sin.
Poison ash. (Bot.)
(a) A tree of the genus Amyris (A. balsamifera) found
in the West Indies, from the trunk of which a black
liquor distills, supposed to have poisonous qualities.
(b) The poison sumac (Rhus venenata). [U. S.]
Poison dogwood (Bot.), poison sumac.
Poison fang (Zo["o]l.), one of the superior maxillary teeth
of some species of serpents, which, besides having the
cavity for the pulp, is either perforated or grooved by a
longitudinal canal, at the lower end of which the duct of
the poison gland terminates. See Illust. under Fang.
Poison gland (Biol.), a gland, in animals or plants, which
secretes an acrid or venomous matter, that is conveyed
along an organ capable of inflicting a wound.
Poison hemlock (Bot.), a poisonous umbelliferous plant
(Conium maculatum). See Hemlock.
Poison ivy (Bot.), a poisonous climbing plant (Rhus
Toxicodendron) of North America. It is common on stone
walls and on the trunks of trees, and has trifoliate,
rhombic-ovate, variously notched leaves. Many people are
poisoned by it, if they touch the leaves. See Poison
sumac. Called also poison oak, and mercury.
Poison nut. (Bot.)
(a) Nux vomica.
(b) The tree which yields this seed (Strychnos
Nuxvomica). It is found on the Malabar and Coromandel
coasts.
Poison oak (Bot.), the poison ivy; also, the more shrubby
Rhus diversiloba of California and Oregon.
Poison sac. (Zo["o]l.) Same as Poison gland, above. See
Illust. under Fang.
Poison sumac (Bot.), a poisonous shrub of the genus Rhus
(R. venenata); -- also called poison ash, poison
dogwood, and poison elder. It has pinnate leaves on
graceful and slender common petioles, and usually grows in
swampy places. Both this plant and the poison ivy (Rhus
Toxicodendron) have clusters of smooth greenish white
berries, while the red-fruited species of this genus are
harmless. The tree (Rhus vernicifera) which yields the
celebrated Japan lacquer is almost identical with the
poison sumac, and is also very poisonous. The juice of the
poison sumac also forms a lacquer similar to that of
Japan.
Syn: Venom; virus; bane; pest; malignity.
Usage: Poison, Venom. Poison usually denotes something
received into the system by the mouth, breath, etc.
Venom is something discharged from animals and
received by means of a wound, as by the bite or sting
of serpents, scorpions, etc. Hence, venom specifically
implies some malignity of nature or purpose.
A beating wind Beat Beat, v. i.
1. To strike repeatedly; to inflict repeated blows; to knock
vigorously or loudly.
The men of the city . . . beat at the door.
--Judges. xix.
22.
2. To move with pulsation or throbbing.
A thousand hearts beat happily. --Byron.
3. To come or act with violence; to dash or fall with force;
to strike anything, as, rain, wind, and waves do.
Sees rolling tempests vainly beat below. --Dryden.
They [winds] beat at the crazy casement.
--Longfellow.
The sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he
fainted, and wisbed in himself to die. --Jonah iv.
8.
Public envy seemeth to beat chiefly upon ministers.
--Bacon.
4. To be in agitation or doubt. [Poetic]
To still my beating mind. --Shak.
5. (Naut.) To make progress against the wind, by sailing in a
zigzag line or traverse.
6. To make a sound when struck; as, the drums beat.
7. (Mil.) To make a succession of strokes on a drum; as, the
drummers beat to call soldiers to their quarters.
8. (Acoustics & Mus.) To sound with more or less rapid
alternations of greater and less intensity, so as to
produce a pulsating effect; -- said of instruments, tones,
or vibrations, not perfectly in unison.
A beating wind (Naut.), a wind which necessitates tacking
in order to make progress.
To beat about, to try to find; to search by various means
or ways. --Addison.
To beat about the bush, to approach a subject circuitously.
To beat up and down (Hunting), to run first one way and
then another; -- said of a stag.
To beat up for recruits, to go diligently about in order to
get helpers or participators in an enterprise.
A belladonna Belladonna Bel`la*don"na, n. [It., literally fine lady; bella
beautiful + donna lady.] (Bot.)
(a) An herbaceous European plant (Atropa belladonna) with
reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining black berries.
The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the
root and leaves are used as powerful medicinal agents.
Its properties are largely due to the alkaloid atropine
which it contains. Called also deadly nightshade.
(b) A species of Amaryllis (A. belladonna); the
belladonna lily.
A bevel angle Bevel Bev"el, a.
1. Having the slant of a bevel; slanting.
2. Hence: Morally distorted; not upright. [Poetic]
I may be straight, though they themselves be bevel.
--Shak.
A bevel angle, any angle other than one of 90[deg].
Bevel wheel, a cogwheel whose working face is oblique to
the axis. --Knight.
a bifilar Bifilar Bi*fi"lar, a. [Pref. bi- + filar.]
Two-threaded; involving the use of two threads; as, bifilar
suspension; a bifilar balance.
Bifilar micrometer (often called a bifilar), an
instrument form measuring minute distances or angles by
means of two very minute threads (usually spider lines),
one of which, at least, is movable; -- more commonly
called a filar micrometer.
A bispinosa Natal plum Na*tal" plum` (Bot.)
The drupaceous fruit of two South African shrubs of the genus
Arduina (A. bispinosa and A. grandiflora).
A blind boil Boil Boil, n. [Influenced by boil, v. See Beal, Bile.]
A hard, painful, inflamed tumor, which, on suppuration,
discharges pus, mixed with blood, and discloses a small
fibrous mass of dead tissue, called the core.
A blind boil, one that suppurates imperfectly, or fails to
come to a head.
Delhi boil (Med.), a peculiar affection of the skin,
probably parasitic in origin, prevailing in India (as
among the British troops) and especially at Delhi.
