Definition of gray hen. Meaning of gray hen. Synonyms of gray hen
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Definition of gray hen
Gray hen Gray Gray, a. [Compar. Grayer; superl. Grayest.] [OE.
gray, grey, AS. gr[=ae]g, gr[=e]g; akin to D. graauw, OHG.
gr[=a]o, G. grau, Dan. graa, Sw. gr[*a], Icel. gr[=a]r.]
[Written also grey.]
1. White mixed with black, as the color of pepper and salt,
or of ashes, or of hair whitened by age; sometimes, a dark
mixed color; as, the soft gray eye of a dove.
These gray and dun colors may be also produced by
mixing whites and blacks. --Sir I.
Newton.
2. Gray-haired; gray-headed; of a gray color; hoary.
3. Old; mature; as, gray experience. Ames.
Gray antimony (Min.), stibnite.
Gray buck (Zo["o]l.), the chickara.
Gray cobalt (Min.), smaltite.
Gray copper (Min.), tetrahedrite.
Gray duck (Zo["o]l.), the gadwall; also applied to the
female mallard.
Gray falcon (Zo["o]l.) the peregrine falcon.
Gray Friar. See Franciscan, and Friar.
Gray hen (Zo["o]l.), the female of the blackcock or black
grouse. See Heath grouse.
Gray mill or millet (Bot.), a name of several plants of the
genus Lithospermum; gromwell.
Gray mullet (Zo["o]l.) any one of the numerous species of
the genus Mugil, or family Mugilid[ae], found both in
the Old World and America; as the European species (M.
capito, and M. auratus), the American striped mullet
(M. albula), and the white or silver mullet (M.
Braziliensis). See Mullet.
Gray owl (Zo["o]l.), the European tawny or brown owl
(Syrnium aluco). The great gray owl (Ulula cinerea)
inhabits arctic America.
Gray parrot (Zo["o]l.), a parrot (Psittacus erithacus),
very commonly domesticated, and noted for its aptness in
learning to talk.
Gray pike. (Zo["o]l.) See Sauger.
Gray snapper (Zo["o]l.), a Florida fish; the sea lawyer.
See Snapper.
Gray snipe (Zo["o]l.), the dowitcher in winter plumage.
Gray whale (Zo["o]l.), a rather large and swift California
whale (Rhachianectes glaucus), formerly taken in large
numbers in the bays; -- called also grayback,
devilfish, and hardhead.
gray hen Heath Heath, n. [OE. heth waste land, the plant heath, AS.
h??; akin to D. & G. heide, Icel. hei?r waste land, Dan.
hede, Sw. hed, Goth. haipi field, L. bucetum a cow pasture;
cf. W. coed a wood, Skr. ksh?tra field. [root]20.]
1. (Bot.)
(a) A low shrub (Erica, or Calluna, vulgaris), with
minute evergreen leaves, and handsome clusters of pink
flowers. It is used in Great Britain for brooms,
thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. It
is also called heather, and ling.
(b) Also, any species of the genus Erica, of which
several are European, and many more are South African,
some of great beauty. See Illust. of Heather.
2. A place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of
country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage.
Their stately growth, though bare, Stands on the
blasted heath. --Milton
Heath cock (Zo["o]l.), the blackcock. See Heath grouse
(below).
Heath grass (Bot.), a kind of perennial grass, of the genus
Triodia (T. decumbens), growing on dry heaths.
Heath grouse, or Heath game (Zo["o]l.), a European grouse
(Tetrao tetrix), which inhabits heats; -- called also
black game, black grouse, heath poult, heath fowl,
moor fowl. The male is called, heath cock, and
blackcock; the female, heath hen, and gray hen.
Heath hen. (Zo["o]l.) See Heath grouse (above).
Heath pea (bot.), a species of bitter vetch (Lathyris
macrorhizus), the tubers of which are eaten, and in
Scotland are used to flavor whisky.
Heath throstle (Zo["o]l.), a European thrush which
frequents heaths; the ring ouzel.