CHERRIER

CHERRY

Cher"ry, n. Etym: [OE. chery, for cherys, fr. F. cerise (cf. AS. cyrs cherry), fr. LL. ceresia, fr. L. cerasus Cherry tree, Gr.

1. (Bot.)

Definition: A tree or shrub of the genus Prunus (Which also includes the plum) bearing a fleshy drupe with a bony stone; (a) The common garden cherry (Prunus Cerasus), of which several hundred varieties are cultivated for the fruit, some of which are, the begarreau, blackheart, black Tartarian, oxheart, morelle or morello, May-duke (corrupted from Médoc in France). (b) The wild cherry; as, prunus serotina (wild black cherry), valued for its timber; P. Virginiana (choke cherry), an American shrub which bears astringent fruit; P. avium and P. Padus, European trees (bird cherry).

2. The fruit of the cherry tree, a drupe of various colors and flavors.

3. The timber of the cherry tree, esp. of the black cherry, used in cabinetmaking, etc.

4. A peculiar shade of red, like that of a cherry. Barbadoes cherry. See under Barbadoes.

– Cherry bird (Zoöl.), an American bird; the cedar bird; -- so called from its fondness for cherries.

– Cherry bounce, cherry brandy and sugar.

– Cherry brandy, brandy in which cherries have been steeped.

– Cherry laurel (Bot.), an evergren shrub (Prunus Lauro-cerasus) common in shrubberies, the poisonous leaves of which have a flavor like that of bitter almonds.

– Cherry pepper (Bot.), a species of Capsicum (C. cerasiforme), with small, scarlet, intensely piquant cherry-shaped fruit.

– Cherry pit. (a) A child's play, in which cherries are thrown into a hole. Shak. (b) A cherry stone.

– Cherry rum, rum in which cherries have been steeped.

– Cherry sucker (Zoöl.), the European spotted flycatcher (Musicapa grisola); -- called also cherry chopper cherry snipe. Cherry tree, a tree that bears cherries.

– Ground cherry, Winter cherry, See Alkekengi.

Cher"ry, a.

Definition: Like a red cherry in color; ruddy; blooming; as, a cherry lip; cherry cheeks.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

14 November 2024

FRISK

(noun) the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs; “he gave the suspect a quick frisk”


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