from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
aloe \al"oe\ ([a^]l"n[-o]), n.; pl. {Aloes} ([a^]l"[=o]z). [L.
alo["e], Gr. 'alo`h, aloe: cf. OF. aloe, F. alo[`e]s.]
1. pl. The wood of the agalloch. [Obs.] --Wyclif.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) [capitalized] A genus of succulent plants, some
classed as trees, others as shrubs, but the greater number
having the habit and appearance of evergreen herbaceous
plants; from some of which are prepared articles for
medicine and the arts. They are natives of warm countries.
[1913 Webster]
3. pl. (Med.) The inspissated juice of several species of
aloe, used as a purgative. [Plural in form but
syntactically singular.] AS
[1913 Webster]
{American aloe}, {Century aloe}, the agave. See {Agave}.
[1913 Webster]
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Aloes
(Heb. 'ahalim), a fragrant wood (Num. 24:6; Ps. 45:8; Prov.
7:17; Cant. 4:14), the Aquilaria agallochum of botanists, or, as
some suppose, the costly gum or perfume extracted from the wood.
It is found in China, Siam, and Northern India, and grows to the
height sometimes of 120 feet. This species is of great rarity
even in India. There is another and more common species, called
by Indians aghil, whence Europeans have given it the name of
Lignum aquile, or eagle-wood. Aloewood was used by the Egyptians
for embalming dead bodies. Nicodemus brought it (pounded
aloe-wood) to embalm the body of Christ (John 19:39); but
whether this was the same as that mentioned elsewhere is
uncertain.
The bitter aloes of the apothecary is the dried juice of the
leaves Aloe vulgaris.