Laurus nobilis
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Laurel \Lau"rel\, n. [OE. lorel, laurer, lorer, OF. lorier,
laurier, F. laurier, (assumed) LL. Laurarius, fr. L. laurus.]
1. (Bot.) An evergreen shrub, of the genus {Laurus} ({Laurus
nobilis}), having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape,
with clusters of small, yellowish white flowers in their
axils; -- called also {sweet bay}.
Note: The fruit is a purple berry. It is found about the
Mediterranean, and was early used by the ancient Greeks
to crown the victor in the games of Apollo. At a later
period, academic honors were indicated by a crown of
laurel, with the fruit. The leaves and tree yield an
aromatic oil, used to flavor the bay water of commerce.
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Note: The name is extended to other plants which in some
respect resemble the true laurel. See Phrases, below.
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2. A crown of laurel; hence, honor; distinction; fame; --
especially in the plural; as, to win laurels.
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3. An English gold coin made in 1619, and so called because
the king's head on it was crowned with laurel.
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{Laurel water}, water distilled from the fresh leaves of the
cherry laurel, and containing prussic acid and other
products carried over in the process.
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{American laurel}, or {Mountain laurel}, {Kalmia latifolia};
called also {calico bush}. See under {Mountain}.
{California laurel}, {Umbellularia Californica}.
{Cherry laurel} (in England called {laurel}). See under
{Cherry}.
{Great laurel}, the rosebay ({Rhododendron maximum}).
{Ground laurel}, trailing arbutus.
{New Zealand laurel}, the {Laurelia Nov[ae] Zelandi[ae]}.
{Portugal laurel}, the {Prunus Lusitanica}.
{Rose laurel}, the oleander. See {Oleander}.
{Sheep laurel}, a poisonous shrub, {Kalmia angustifolia},
smaller than the mountain laurel, and with smaller and
redder flowers.
{Spurge laurel}, {Daphne Laureola}.
{West Indian laurel}, {Prunus occidentalis}.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Royal \Roy"al\, a. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F.
royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See {Rich}, and
cf. {regal}, {real} a coin, {Rial}.]
1. Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable
for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or
prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state.
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2. Noble; generous; magnificent; princely.
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How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio? --Shak.
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3. Under the patronage of royality; holding a charter granted
by the sovereign; as, the Royal Academy of Arts; the Royal
Society.
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{Battle royal}. See under {Battle}.
{Royal bay} (Bot.), the classic laurel ({Laurus nobilis}.)
{Royal eagle}. (Zool.) See {Golden eagle}, under {Golden}.
{Royal fern} (Bot.), the handsome fern {Osmunda regalis}. See
{Osmund}.
{Royal mast} (Naut.), the mast next above the topgallant mast
and usually the highest on a square-rigged vessel. The
royal yard and royal sail are attached to the royal mast.
{Royal metal}, an old name for gold.
{Royal palm} (Bot.), a magnificent West Indian palm tree
({Oreodoxa regia}), lately discovered also in Florida.
{Royal pheasant}. See {Curassow}.
{Royal purple}, an intense violet color, verging toward blue.
{Royal tern} (Zool.), a large, crested American tern ({Sterna
maxima}).
{Royal tiger}. (Zool.) See {Tiger}.
{Royal touch}, the touching of a diseased person by the hand
of a king, with the view of restoring to health; --
formerly extensively practiced, particularly for the
scrofula, or king's evil.
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Syn: Kingly; regal; monarchical; imperial; kinglike;
princely; august; majestic; superb; splendid;
illustrious; noble; magnanimous.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sweet \Sweet\, a. [Compar. {Sweeter}; superl. {Sweetest}.] [OE.
swete, swote, sote, AS. sw[=e]te; akin to OFries. sw[=e]te,
OS. sw[=o]ti, D. zoet, G. s["u]ss, OHG. suozi, Icel. saetr,
soetr, Sw. s["o]t, Dan. s["o]d, Goth. suts, L. suavis, for
suadvis, Gr. ?, Skr. sv[=a]du sweet, svad, sv[=a]d, to
sweeten. [root]175. Cf. {Assuage}, {Suave}, {Suasion}.]
1. Having an agreeable taste or flavor such as that of sugar;
saccharine; -- opposed to sour and bitter; as, a sweet
beverage; sweet fruits; sweet oranges.
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2. Pleasing to the smell; fragrant; redolent; balmy; as, a
sweet rose; sweet odor; sweet incense.
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The breath of these flowers is sweet to me.
--Longfellow.
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3. Pleasing to the ear; soft; melodious; harmonious; as, the
sweet notes of a flute or an organ; sweet music; a sweet
voice; a sweet singer.
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To make his English sweet upon his tongue.
--Chaucer.
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A voice sweet, tremulous, but powerful. --Hawthorne.
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4. Pleasing to the eye; beautiful; mild and attractive; fair;
as, a sweet face; a sweet color or complexion.
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Sweet interchange
Of hill and valley, rivers, woods, and plains.
--Milton.
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5. Fresh; not salt or brackish; as, sweet water. --Bacon.
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6. Not changed from a sound or wholesome state. Specifically:
(a) Not sour; as, sweet milk or bread.
(b) Not state; not putrescent or putrid; not rancid; as,
sweet butter; sweet meat or fish.
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7. Plaesing to the mind; mild; gentle; calm; amiable;
winning; presuasive; as, sweet manners.
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Canst thou bind the sweet influence of Pleiades?
--Job xxxviii.
31.
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Mildness and sweet reasonableness is the one
established rule of Christian working. --M. Arnold.
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Note: Sweet is often used in the formation of self-explaining
compounds; as, sweet-blossomed, sweet-featured,
sweet-smelling, sweet-tempered, sweet-toned, etc.
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{Sweet alyssum}. (Bot.) See {Alyssum}.
{Sweet apple}. (Bot.)
(a) Any apple of sweet flavor.
(b) See {Sweet-sop}.
{Sweet bay}. (Bot.)
(a) The laurel ({Laurus nobilis}).
(b) Swamp sassafras.
{Sweet calabash} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Passiflora}
({Passiflora maliformis}) growing in the West Indies, and
producing a roundish, edible fruit, the size of an apple.
{Sweet cicely}. (Bot.)
(a) Either of the North American plants of the
umbelliferous genus {Osmorrhiza} having aromatic roots
and seeds, and white flowers. --Gray.
(b) A plant of the genus {Myrrhis} ({Myrrhis odorata})
growing in England.
{Sweet calamus}, or {Sweet cane}. (Bot.) Same as {Sweet
flag}, below.
{Sweet Cistus} (Bot.), an evergreen shrub ({Cistus Ladanum})
from which the gum ladanum is obtained.
{Sweet clover}. (Bot.) See {Melilot}.
{Sweet coltsfoot} (Bot.), a kind of butterbur ({Petasites
sagittata}) found in Western North America.
{Sweet corn} (Bot.), a variety of the maize of a sweet taste.
See the Note under {Corn}.
{Sweet fern} (Bot.), a small North American shrub ({Comptonia
asplenifolia} syn. {Myrica asplenifolia}) having
sweet-scented or aromatic leaves resembling fern leaves.
{Sweet flag} (Bot.), an endogenous plant ({Acorus Calamus})
having long flaglike leaves and a rootstock of a pungent
aromatic taste. It is found in wet places in Europe and
America. See {Calamus}, 2.
{Sweet gale} (Bot.), a shrub ({Myrica Gale}) having bitter
fragrant leaves; -- also called {sweet willow}, and {Dutch
myrtle}. See 5th {Gale}.
{Sweet grass} (Bot.), holy, or Seneca, grass.
{Sweet gum} (Bot.), an American tree ({Liquidambar
styraciflua}). See {Liquidambar}.
{Sweet herbs}, fragrant herbs cultivated for culinary
purposes.
{Sweet John} (Bot.), a variety of the sweet William.
{Sweet leaf} (Bot.), horse sugar. See under {Horse}.
{Sweet marjoram}. (Bot.) See {Marjoram}.
{Sweet marten} (Zool.), the pine marten.
{Sweet maudlin} (Bot.), a composite plant ({Achillea
Ageratum}) allied to milfoil.
{Sweet oil}, olive oil.
{Sweet pea}. (Bot.) See under {Pea}.
{Sweet potato}. (Bot.) See under {Potato}.
{Sweet rush} (Bot.), sweet flag.
{Sweet spirits of niter} (Med. Chem.) See {Spirit of nitrous
ether}, under {Spirit}.
{Sweet sultan} (Bot.), an annual composite plant ({Centaurea
moschata}), also, the yellow-flowered ({Centaurea
odorata}); -- called also {sultan flower}.
{Sweet tooth}, an especial fondness for sweet things or for
sweetmeats. [Colloq.]
{Sweet William}.
(a) (Bot.) A species of pink ({Dianthus barbatus}) of many
varieties.
(b) (Zool.) The willow warbler.
(c) (Zool.) The European goldfinch; -- called also {sweet
Billy}. [Prov. Eng.]
{Sweet willow} (Bot.), sweet gale.
{Sweet wine}. See {Dry wine}, under {Dry}.
{To be sweet on}, to have a particular fondness for, or
special interest in, as a young man for a young woman.
[Colloq.] --Thackeray.
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Syn: Sugary; saccharine; dulcet; luscious.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Bay \Bay\, n. [F. baie a berry, the fruit of the laurel and
other trees, fr. L. baca, bacca, a small round fruit, a
berry, akin to Lith. bapka laurel berry.]
1. A berry, particularly of the laurel. [Obs.]
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2. The laurel tree ({Laurus nobilis}). Hence, in the plural,
an honorary garland or crown bestowed as a prize for
victory or excellence, anciently made or consisting of
branches of the laurel.
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The patriot's honors and the poet's bays.
--Trumbull.
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3. A tract covered with bay trees. [Local, U. S.]
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{Bay leaf}, the leaf of the bay tree ({Laurus nobilis}). It
has a fragrant odor and an aromatic taste, and is used for
flavoring in food.
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