DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Oat n.; pl. Oats
 1. Bot. A well-known cereal grass (Avena sativa), and its edible grain,  used as food and fodder; -- commonly used in the plural and in a collective sense.
 2. A musical pipe made of oat straw. [Obs.]
 Animated oats or Animal oats Bot., A grass (Avena sterilis) much like oats, but with a long spirally twisted awn which coils and uncoils with changes of moisture, and thus gives the grains an apparently automatic motion.
 Oat fowl Zool., the snow bunting; -- so called from its feeding on oats. [Prov. Eng.]
 Oat grass Bot., the name of several grasses more or less resembling oats, as Danthonia spicata, Danthonia sericea, and Arrhenatherum avenaceum, all common in parts of the United States.
 To feel one's oats,  (a) to be conceited or self-important. [Slang] (b) to feel lively and energetic.
 To sow one's wild oats, to indulge in youthful dissipation. --Thackeray.
 Wild oats Bot., a grass (Avena fatua) much resembling oats, and by some persons supposed to be the original of cultivated oats.
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 Wild a. [Compar. Wilder superl. Wildest.]
 1. Living in a state of nature; inhabiting natural haunts, as the forest or open field; not familiar with, or not easily approached by, man; not tamed or domesticated; as, a wild boar; a wild ox; a wild cat.
    Winter's not gone yet, if the wild geese fly that way.   --Shak.
 2. Growing or produced without culture; growing or prepared without the aid and care of man; native; not cultivated; brought forth by unassisted nature or by animals not domesticated; as, wild parsnip, wild camomile, wild strawberry, wild honey.
 The woods and desert caves,
 With wild thyme and gadding vine o'ergrown.   --Milton.
 3. Desert; not inhabited or cultivated; as, wild land.  “To trace the forests wild.”
 4. Savage; uncivilized; not refined by culture; ferocious; rude; as, wild natives of Africa or America.
 5. Not submitted to restraint, training, or regulation; turbulent; tempestuous; violent; ungoverned; licentious; inordinate; disorderly; irregular; fanciful; imaginary; visionary; crazy.  “Valor grown wild by pride.” --Prior. “A wild, speculative project.” --Swift.
 What are these
 So withered and so wild in their attire ?   --Shak.
 With mountains, as with weapons, armed; which makes
 Wild work in heaven.   --Milton.
    The wild winds howl.   --Addison.
 Search then the ruling passion, there, alone
 The wild are constant, and the cunning known.   --Pope.
 6. Exposed to the wind and sea; unsheltered; as, a wild roadstead.
 7. Indicating strong emotion, intense excitement, or ░ewilderment; as, a wild look.
 8. Naut. Hard to steer; -- said of a vessel.
 Note: ☞ Many plants are named by prefixing wild to the names of other better known or cultivated plants to which they a bear a real or fancied resemblance; as, wild allspice, wild pink, etc.  See the Phrases below.
 To run wild, to go unrestrained or untamed; to live or untamed; to live or grow without culture or training.
 To sow one's wild oats. See under Oat.
 Wild allspice. Bot., spicewood.
 Wild balsam apple Bot., an American climbing cucurbitaceous plant (Echinocystis lobata).
 Wild basil Bot., a fragrant labiate herb (Calamintha Clinopodium) common in Europe and America.
 Wild bean Bot., a name of several leguminous plants, mostly species of Phaseolus and Apios.
 Wild bee Zool., any one of numerous species of undomesticated social bees, especially the domestic bee when it has escaped from domestication and built its nest in a hollow tree or among rocks.
 Wild bergamot. Bot. See under Bergamot.
 Wild boar Zool., the European wild hog (Sus scrofa), from which the common domesticated swine is descended.
 Wild brier Bot., any uncultivated species of brier.  See Brier.
 Wild bugloss Bot., an annual rough-leaved plant (Lycopsis arvensis) with small blue flowers.
 Wild camomile Bot., one or more plants of the composite genus Matricaria, much resembling camomile.
 Wild cat. Zool. (a) A European carnivore (Felis catus) somewhat resembling the domestic cat, but larger stronger, and having a short tail.  It is destructive to the smaller domestic animals, such as lambs, kids, poultry, and the like. (b) The common American lynx, or bay lynx. (c) Naut. A wheel which can be adjusted so as to revolve either with, or on, the shaft of a capstan. --Luce.
 Wild celery. Bot. See Tape grass, under Tape.
 Wild cherry. Bot. (a) Any uncultivated tree which bears cherries. The wild red cherry is Prunus Pennsylvanica.  The wild black cherry is Prunus serotina, the wood of which is much used for cabinetwork, being of a light red color and a compact texture. (b) The fruit of various species of Prunus.
 Wild cinnamon. See the Note under Canella.
 Wild comfrey Bot., an American plant (Cynoglossum Virginicum) of the Borage family. It has large bristly leaves and small blue flowers.
 Wild cumin Bot., an annual umbelliferous plant (Lagœcia cuminoides) native in the countries about the Mediterranean.
 Wild drake Zool. the mallard.
 Wild elder Bot., an American plant (Aralia hispida) of the Ginseng family.
 Wild fowl Zool. any wild bird, especially any of those considered as game birds.
 Wild goose Zool., any one of several species of undomesticated geese, especially the Canada goose (Branta Canadensis), the European bean goose, and the graylag.  See Graylag, and Bean goose, under Bean.
 Wild goose chase, the pursuit of something unattainable, or of something as unlikely to be caught as the wild goose. --Shak.
 Wild honey, honey made by wild bees, and deposited in trees, rocks, the like.
 Wild hyacinth. Bot. See Hyacinth, 1 (b).
 Wild Irishman Bot., a thorny bush (Discaria Toumatou) of the Buckthorn family, found in New Zealand, where the natives use the spines in tattooing.
 Wild land. (a) Land not cultivated, or in a state that renders it unfit for cultivation. (b) Land which is not settled and cultivated.
 Wild licorice. Bot. See under Licorice.
 Wild mammee Bot., the oblong, yellowish, acid fruit of a tropical American tree (Rheedia lateriflora); -- so called in the West Indies.
 Wild marjoram Bot., a labiate plant (Origanum vulgare) much like the sweet marjoram, but less aromatic.
 Wild oat. Bot. (a) A tall, oatlike kind of soft grass (Arrhenatherum avenaceum). (b) See Wild oats, under Oat.
 Wild pieplant Bot., a species of dock (Rumex hymenosepalus) found from Texas to California. Its acid, juicy stems are used as a substitute for the garden rhubarb.
 Wild pigeon. Zool. (a) The rock dove. (b) The passenger pigeon.
 Wild pink Bot., an American plant (Silene Pennsylvanica) with pale, pinkish flowers; a kind of catchfly.
 Wild plantain Bot., an arborescent endogenous herb (Heliconia Bihai), much resembling the banana. Its leaves and leaf sheaths are much used in the West Indies as coverings for packages of merchandise.
 Wild plum. Bot. (a) Any kind of plum growing without cultivation. (b) The South African prune.  See under Prune.
 Wild rice. Bot. See Indian rice, under Rice.
 Wild rosemary Bot., the evergreen shrub Andromeda polifolia.  See Marsh rosemary, under Rosemary.
 Wild sage. Bot. See Sagebrush.
 Wild sarsaparilla Bot., a species of ginseng (Aralia nudicaulis) bearing a single long-stalked leaf.
 Wild sensitive plant Bot., either one of two annual leguminous herbs (Cassia Chamaecrista, and Cassia nictitans), in both of which the leaflets close quickly when the plant is disturbed.
 Wild service.Bot. See Sorb.
 Wild Spaniard Bot., any one of several umbelliferous plants of the genus Aciphylla, natives of New Zealand. The leaves bear numerous bayonetlike spines, and the plants form an impenetrable thicket.
 Wild turkey. Zool. See 2d Turkey.

 Grass n.
 1. Popularly: Herbage; the plants which constitute the food of cattle and other beasts; pasture.
 2. Bot. An endogenous plant having simple leaves, a stem generally jointed and tubular, the husks or glumes in pairs, and the seed single.
 Note: ☞ This definition includes wheat, rye, oats, barley, etc., and excludes clover and some other plants which are commonly called by the name of grass. The grasses form a numerous family of plants.
 3. The season of fresh grass; spring. [Colloq.]
    Two years old next grass.   --Latham.
 4. Metaphorically used for what is transitory.
    Surely the people is grass.   --Is. xl. 7.
 Note: ☞ The following list includes most of the grasses of the United States of special interest, except cereals.  Many of these terms will be found with definitions in the Vocabulary. See Illustrations in Appendix.
 Barnyard grass, for hay. South. Panicum Grus-galli.
 Bent, pasture and hay. Agrostis, several species.
 Bermuda grass, pasture. South. Cynodon Dactylon.
 Black bent. Same as Switch grass (below).
 Blue bent, hay. North and West. Andropogon provincialis.
 Blue grass, pasture. Poa compressa.
 Blue joint, hay. Northwest. Aqropyrum glaucum.
 Buffalo grass, grazing. Rocky Mts., etc. (a) Buchloë dectyloides. (b) Same as Grama grass (below).
 Bunch grass, grazing. Far West. Eriocoma, Festuca, Stips, etc.
 Chess, or Cheat, a weed. Bromus secalinus, etc.
 Couch grass. Same as Quick grass (below).
 Crab grass, (a) Hay, in South. A weed, in North. Panicum sanguinale. (b) Pasture and hay. South. Eleusine Indica.
 Darnel (a) Bearded, a noxious weed. Lolium temulentum. (b) Common. Same as Rye grass (below).
 Drop seed, fair for forage and hay. Muhlenbergia, several species.
 English grass. Same as Redtop (below).
 Fowl meadow grass. (a) Pasture and hay. Poa serotina. (b) Hay, on moist land. Gryceria nervata.
 Gama grass, cut fodder. South. Tripsacum dactyloides.
 Grama grass, grazing. West and Pacific slope. Bouteloua oligostachya, etc.
 Great bunch grass, pasture and hay. Far West. Festuca scabrella.
 Guinea grass, hay. South. Panicum jumentorum.
 Herd's grass, in New England Timothy, in Pennsylvania and South Redtop.
 Indian grass. Same as Wood grass (below).
 Italian rye grass, forage and hay. Lolium Italicum.
 Johnson grass, grazing and hay. South and Southwest. Sorghum Halepense.
 Kentucky blue grass, pasture. Poa pratensis.
 Lyme grass, coarse hay. South. Elymus, several species.
 Manna grass, pasture and hay. Glyceria, several species.
 Meadow fescue, pasture and hay. Festuca elatior.
 Meadow foxtail, pasture, hay, lawn. North. Alopecurus pratensis.
 Meadow grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Poa, several species.
 Mesquite grass, or Muskit grass. Same as Grama grass (above).
 Nimble Will, a kind of drop seed. Muhlenbergia diffsa.
 Orchard grass, pasture and hay. Dactylis glomerata.
 Porcupine grass, troublesome to sheep. Northwest. Stipa spartea.
 Quaking grass, ornamental. Briza media and maxima.
 Quitch, or Quick, grass, etc., a weed. Agropyrum repens.
 Ray grass. Same as Rye grass (below).
 Redtop, pasture and hay. Agrostis vulgaris.
 Red-topped buffalo grass, forage. Northwest. Poa tenuifolia.
 Reed canary grass, of slight value. Phalaris arundinacea.
 Reed meadow grass, hay. North. Glyceria aquatica.
 Ribbon grass, a striped leaved form of Reed canary grass.
 Rye grass, pasture, hay. Lolium perenne, var.
 Seneca grass, fragrant basket work, etc. North. Hierochloa borealis.
 Sesame grass. Same as Gama grass (above).
 Sheep's fescue, sheep pasture, native in Northern Europe and Asia. Festuca ovina.
 Small reed grass, meadow pasture and hay. North. Deyeuxia Canadensis.
 Spear grass, Same as Meadow grass (above).
 Squirrel-tail grass, troublesome to animals. Seacoast and Northwest. Hordeum jubatum.
 Switch grass, hay, cut young. Panicum virgatum.
 Timothy, cut young, the best of hay. North. Phleum pratense.
 Velvet grass, hay on poor soil. South. Holcus lanatus.
 Vernal grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Anthoxanthum odoratum.
 Wire grass, valuable in pastures. Poa compressa.
 Wood grass, Indian grass, hay. Chrysopogon nutans.
 Note: ☞ Many plants are popularly called grasses which are not true grasses botanically considered, such as black grass, goose grass, star grass, etc.
 Black grass, a kind of small rush (Juncus Gerardi), growing in salt marshes, used for making salt hay.
 Grass of the Andes, an oat grass, the Arrhenatherum avenaceum of Europe.-- Grass of Parnassus, a plant of the genus Parnassia growing in wet ground.  The European species is Parnassia palustris; in the United States there are several species.
 Grass bass Zool., the calico bass.
 Grass bird, the dunlin.
 Grass cloth, a cloth woven from the tough fibers of the grass-cloth plant.
 Grass-cloth plant, a perennial herb of the Nettle family (Bœhmeria nivea syn. Urtica nivea), which grows in Sumatra, China, and Assam, whose inner bark has fine and strong fibers suited for textile purposes.
 Grass finch. Zool. (a) A common American sparrow  (Poöcætes gramineus); -- called also vesper sparrow and bay-winged bunting. (b) Any Australian finch, of the genus Poëphila, of which several species are known.
 Grass lamb, a lamb suckled by a dam running on pasture land and giving rich milk.-- Grass land, land kept in grass and not tilled.
 Grass moth Zool., one of many small moths of the genus Crambus, found in grass.
 Grass oil, a fragrant essential volatile oil, obtained in India from grasses of the genus Andropogon, etc.; -- used in perfumery under the name of citronella, ginger grass oil, lemon grass oil, essence of verbena etc.
 Grass owl Zool., a South African owl  (Strix Capensis).
 Grass parrakeet Zool., any of several species of Australian parrots, of the genus Euphemia; --  also applied to the zebra parrakeet.
 Grass plover Zool., the upland or field plover.
 Grass poly Bot., a species of willowwort (Lythrum Hyssopifolia). --Johnson.
 Crass quit Zool., one of several tropical American finches of the genus Euetheia. The males have most of the head and chest black and often marked with yellow.
 Grass snake.  Zool. (a) The common English, or ringed, snake (Tropidonotus natrix). (b) The common green snake of the Northern United States. See Green snake, under Green.
 Grass snipe Zool., the pectoral sandpiper (Tringa maculata); -- called also jacksnipe in America.
 Grass spider Zool., a common spider (Agelena nævia), which spins flat webs on grass, conspicuous when covered with dew.
 Grass sponge Zool., an inferior kind of commercial sponge from Florida and the Bahamas.
 Grass table. Arch. See Earth table, under Earth.
 Grass vetch Bot., a vetch (Lathyrus Nissolia), with narrow grasslike leaves.
 Grass widow.  [Cf. Prov. R. an unmarried mother, G. strohwittwe a mock widow, Sw. gräsenka a grass widow.] (a) An unmarried woman who is a mother. [Obs.] (b) A woman separated from her husband by abandonment or prolonged absence; a woman living apart from her husband. [Slang.]
 Grass wrack Bot. eelgrass.
 To bring to grass Mining., to raise, as ore, to the surface of the ground.
 To put to grass, To put out to grass, to put out to graze a season, as cattle.