Lil·y n.; pl. Lilies
1. Bot. A plant and flower of the genus Lilium, endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of six colored pieces, six stamens, and a superior three-celled ovary.
Note: ☞ There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North Temperate zone. Lilium candidum and Lilium longiflorum are the common white lilies of gardens; Lilium Philadelphicum is the wild red lily of the Atlantic States. Lilium Chalcedonicum is supposed to be the “lily of the field” in our Lord's parable; Lilium auratum is the great gold-banded lily of Japan.
2. Bot. A name given to handsome flowering plants of several genera, having some resemblance in color or form to a true lily, as Pancratium, Crinum, Amaryllis, Nerine, etc.
3. That end of a compass needle which should point to the north; -- so called as often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de-lis.
But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west. --Sir T. Browne.
4. Auction Bridge A royal spade; -- usually in pl. See Royal spade, below.
African lily Bot., the blue-flowered Agapanthus umbellatus.
Atamasco lily Bot., a plant of the genus Zephyranthes (Zephyranthes Atamasco), having a white and pink funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions resembling those of a lily. --Gray.
Blackberry lily Bot., the Pardanthus Chinensis, the black seeds of which form a dense mass like a blackberry.
Bourbon lily Bot., Lilium candidum. See Illust.
Butterfly lily. Bot. Same as Mariposa lily, in the Vocabulary.
Lily beetle Zool., a European beetle (Crioceris merdigera) which feeds upon the white lily.
Lily daffodil Bot., a plant of the genus Narcissus, and its flower.
Lily encrinite Paleon., a fossil encrinite, esp. Encrinus liliiformis. See Encrinite.
Lily hyacinth Bot., a plant of the genus Hyacinthus.
Lily iron, a kind of harpoon with a detachable head of peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish.
Lily of the valley Bot., a low perennial herb (Convallaria majalis), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers.
Lily pad, the large floating leaf of the water lily. [U. S.] --Lowell.
Tiger lily Bot., Lilium tigrinum, the sepals of which are blotched with black.
Turk's-cap lily Bot. Lilium Martagon, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, Lilium superbum.
Water lily Bot., the Nymphæa, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of Nymphæa.]
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Ti·ger n.
1. A very large and powerful carnivore (Felis tigris) native of Southern Asia and the East Indies. Its back and sides are tawny or rufous yellow, transversely striped with black, the tail is ringed with black, the throat and belly are nearly white. When full grown, it equals or exceeds the lion in size and strength. Called also royal tiger, and Bengal tiger.
2. Fig.: A ferocious, bloodthirsty person.
As for heinous tiger, Tamora. --Shak.
3. A servant in livery, who rides with his master or mistress.
4. A kind of growl or screech, after cheering; as, three cheers and a tiger. [Colloq. U. S.]
5. A pneumatic box or pan used in refining sugar.
American tiger. Zool. (a) The puma. (b) The jaguar.
Clouded tiger Zool., a handsome striped and spotted carnivore (Felis macrocelis or Felis marmorata) native of the East Indies and Southern Asia. Its body is about three and a half feet long, and its tail about three feet long. Its ground color is brownish gray, and the dark markings are irregular stripes, spots, and rings, but there are always two dark bands on the face, one extending back from the eye, and one from the angle of the mouth. Called also tortoise-shell tiger.
Mexican tiger Zool., the jaguar.
Tiger beetle Zool., any one of numerous species of active carnivorous beetles of the family Cicindelidae. They usually inhabit dry or sandy places, and fly rapidly.
Tiger bittern. Zool. See Sun bittern, under Sun.
Tiger cat Zool., any one of several species of wild cats of moderate size with dark transverse bars or stripes somewhat resembling those of the tiger.
Tiger flower Bot., an iridaceous plant of the genus Tigridia (as Tigridia conchiflora, Tigridia grandiflora, etc.) having showy flowers, spotted or streaked somewhat like the skin of a tiger.
Tiger grass Bot., a low East Indian fan palm (Chamaerops Ritchieana). It is used in many ways by the natives. --J. Smith (Dict. Econ. Plants).
Tiger lily. Bot. See under Lily.
Tiger moth Zool., any one of numerous species of moths of the family Arctiadae which are striped or barred with black and white or with other conspicuous colors. The larvae are called woolly bears.
Tiger shark Zool., a voracious shark (Galeocerdo tigrinus syn. Galeocerdo maculatus) more or less barred or spotted with yellow. It is found in both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Called also zebra shark.
Tiger shell Zool., a large and conspicuously spotted cowrie (Cypraea tigris); -- so called from its fancied resemblance to a tiger in color and markings. Called also tiger cowrie.
Tiger snake Zool., either of two very venomous snakes of Tasmania and Australia, Notechis scutatis and Notechis ater, which grow up to 5 feet in length.
Tiger wolf Zool., the spotted hyena (Hyaena crocuta).
Tiger wood, the variegated heartwood of a tree (Machaerium Schomburgkii) found in Guiana.
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tiger lily
n 1: east Asian perennial having large reddish-orange
black-spotted flowers with reflexed petals [syn: devil
lily, kentan, Lilium lancifolium]
2: lily of southeastern United States having cup-shaped flowers
with deep yellow to scarlet recurved petals [syn: leopard
lily, pine lily, Lilium catesbaei]