PLUMMEST
PLUM
Plum, n. Etym: [AS.plume, fr. L. prunum; akin to Gr. Prune a dried
plum.]
1. (Bot.)
Definition: The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica, and of
several other species of Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually
called plum tree.
The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum, of our
gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be
varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation. G.
Bentham.
are in bold format, like collocations.
Note: Two or three hundred varieties of plums derived from the Prunus
domestica are described; among them the greengage, the Orleans, the
purple gage, or Reine Claude Violette, and the German prune, are some
of the best known.
Note: Among the true plums are; Beach plum, the Prunus maritima, and
its crimson or purple globular drupes, -- Bullace plum. See Bullace.
– Chickasaw plum, the American Prunus Chicasa, and its round red
drupes.
– Orleans plum, a dark reddish purple plum of medium size, much
grown in England for sale in the markets.
– Wild plum of America, Prunus Americana, with red or yellow fruit,
the original of the Iowa plum and several other varieties. Among
plants called plum, but of other genera than Prunus, are; Australian
plum, Cargillia arborea and C. australis, of the same family with the
persimmon.
– Blood plum, the West African Hæmatostaphes Barteri.
– Cocoa plum, the Spanish nectarine. See under Nectarine.
– Date plum. See under Date.
– Gingerbread plum, the West African Parinarium macrophyllum.
– Gopher plum, the Ogeechee lime.
– Gray plum, Guinea plum. See under Guinea.
– Indian plum, several species of Flacourtia.
2. A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.
3. A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant language, the
sum of £100,000 sterling; also, the person possessing it. Plum bird,
Plum budder (Zoöl.), the European bullfinch.
– Plum gouger (Zoöl.), a weevil, or curculio (Coccotorus
scutellaris), which destroys plums. It makes round holes in the pulp,
for the reception of its eggs. The larva bores into the stone and
eats the kernel.
– Plum weevil (Zoöl.), an American weevil which is very destructive
to plums, nectarines cherries, and many other stone fruits. It lays
its eggs in crescent-shaped incisions made with its jaws. The larva
lives upon the pulp around the stone. Called also turk, and plum
curculio. See Illust. under Curculio.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition