from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Gum \Gum\, n. [OE. gomme, gumme, F. gomme, L. gummi and commis,
fr. Gr. ?, prob. from an Egyptian form kam?; cf. It.
{gomma}.]
1. A vegetable secretion of many trees or plants that hardens
when it exudes, but is soluble in water; as, gum arabic;
gum tragacanth; the gum of the cherry tree. Also, with
less propriety, exudations that are not soluble in water;
as, gum copal and gum sandarac, which are really resins.
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2. (Bot.) See {Gum tree}, {below}.
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3. A hive made of a section of a hollow gum tree; hence, any
roughly made hive; also, a vessel or bin made of a hollow
log. [Southern U. S.]
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4. A rubber overshoe. [Local, U. S.]
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{Black gum}, {Blue gum}, {British gum}, etc. See under
{Black}, {Blue}, etc.
{Gum Acaroidea}, the resinous gum of the Australian grass
tree ({Xanlhorrh[oe]a}).
{Gum animal} (Zool.), the galago of West Africa; -- so called
because it feeds on gums. See {Galago}.
{Gum animi or anim['e]}. See {Anim['e]}.
{Gum arabic}, a gum yielded mostly by several species of
{Acacia} (chiefly {A. vera} and {A. Arabica}) growing in
Africa and Southern Asia; -- called also {gum acacia}.
East Indian gum arabic comes from a tree of the Orange
family which bears the elephant apple.
{Gum butea}, a gum yielded by the Indian plants {Butea
frondosa} and {B. superba}, and used locally in tanning
and in precipitating indigo.
{Gum cistus}, a plant of the genus {Cistus} ({Cistus
ladaniferus}), a species of rock rose.
{Gum dragon}. See {Tragacanth}.
{Gum elastic}, {Elastic gum}. See {Caoutchouc}.
{Gum elemi}. See {Elemi}.
{Gum juniper}. See {Sandarac}.
{Gum kino}. See under {Kino}.
{Gum lac}. See {Lac}.
{Gum Ladanum}, a fragrant gum yielded by several Oriental
species of Cistus or rock rose.
{Gum passages}, sap receptacles extending through the
parenchyma of certain plants ({Amygdalace[ae]},
{Cactace[ae]}, etc.), and affording passage for gum.
{Gum pot}, a varnish maker's utensil for melting gum and
mixing other ingredients.
{Gum resin}, the milky juice of a plant solidified by
exposure to air; one of certain inspissated saps, mixtures
of, or having properties of, gum and resin; a resin
containing more or less mucilaginous and gummy matter.
{Gum sandarac}. See {Sandarac}.
{Gum Senegal}, a gum similar to gum arabic, yielded by trees
({Acacia Verek} and {A. Adansoni[aum]}) growing in the
Senegal country, West Africa.
{Gum tragacanth}. See {Tragacanth}.
{Gum water}, a solution of gum, esp. of gum arabic, in water.
{Gum wood}, the wood of any gum tree, esp. the wood of the
{Eucalyptus piperita}, of New South Wales.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Blue \Blue\ (bl[=u]), a. [Compar. {Bluer} (bl[=u]"[~e]r);
superl. {Bluest}.] [OE. bla, blo, blew, blue, livid, black,
fr. Icel.bl[=a]r livid; akin to Dan. blaa blue, Sw. bl[*a],
D. blauw, OHG. bl[=a]o, G. blau; but influenced in form by F.
bleu, from OHG. bl[=a]o.]
1. Having the color of the clear sky, or a hue resembling it,
whether lighter or darker; as, the deep, blue sea; as blue
as a sapphire; blue violets. "The blue firmament."
--Milton.
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2. Pale, without redness or glare, -- said of a flame; hence,
of the color of burning brimstone, betokening the presence
of ghosts or devils; as, the candle burns blue; the air
was blue with oaths.
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3. Low in spirits; melancholy; as, to feel blue.
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4. Suited to produce low spirits; gloomy in prospect; as,
thongs looked blue. [Colloq.]
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5. Severe or over strict in morals; gloom; as, blue and sour
religionists; suiting one who is over strict in morals;
inculcating an impracticable, severe, or gloomy mortality;
as, blue laws.
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6. Literary; -- applied to women; -- an abbreviation of
{bluestocking}. [Colloq.]
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The ladies were very blue and well informed.
--Thackeray.
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{Blue asbestus}. See {Crocidolite}.
{Blue black}, of, or having, a very dark blue color, almost
black.
{Blue blood}. See under {Blood}.
{Blue buck} (Zool.), a small South African antelope
({Cephalophus pygm[ae]us}); also applied to a larger
species ({[AE]goceras leucoph[ae]us}); the blaubok.
{Blue cod} (Zool.), the buffalo cod.
{Blue crab} (Zool.), the common edible crab of the Atlantic
coast of the United States ({Callinectes hastatus}).
{Blue curls} (Bot.), a common plant ({Trichostema
dichotomum}), resembling pennyroyal, and hence called also
{bastard pennyroyal}.
{Blue devils}, apparitions supposed to be seen by persons
suffering with {delirium tremens}; hence, very low
spirits. "Can Gumbo shut the hall door upon blue devils,
or lay them all in a red sea of claret?" --Thackeray.
{Blue gage}. See under {Gage}, a plum.
{Blue gum}, an Australian myrtaceous tree ({Eucalyptus
globulus}), of the loftiest proportions, now cultivated in
tropical and warm temperate regions for its timber, and as
a protection against malaria. The essential oil is
beginning to be used in medicine. The timber is very
useful. See {Eucalyptus}.
{Blue jack}, {Blue stone}, blue vitriol; sulphate of copper.
{Blue jacket}, a man-of war's man; a sailor wearing a naval
uniform.
{Blue jaundice}. See under {Jaundice}.
{Blue laws}, a name first used in the eighteenth century to
describe certain supposititious laws of extreme rigor
reported to have been enacted in New Haven; hence, any
puritanical laws. [U. S.]
{Blue light}, a composition which burns with a brilliant blue
flame; -- used in pyrotechnics and as a night signal at
sea, and in military operations.
{Blue mantle} (Her.), one of the four pursuivants of the
English college of arms; -- so called from the color of
his official robes.
{Blue mass}, a preparation of mercury from which is formed
the blue pill. --McElrath.
{Blue mold} or {Blue mould}, the blue fungus ({Aspergillus
glaucus}) which grows on cheese. --Brande & C.
{Blue Monday},
(a) a Monday following a Sunday of dissipation, or itself
given to dissipation (as the Monday before Lent).
(b) a Monday considered as depressing because it is a
workday in contrast to the relaxation of the weekend.
{Blue ointment} (Med.), mercurial ointment.
{Blue Peter} (British Marine), a blue flag with a white
square in the center, used as a signal for sailing, to
recall boats, etc. It is a corruption of blue repeater,
one of the British signal flags.
{Blue pill}. (Med.)
(a) A pill of prepared mercury, used as an aperient, etc.
(b) Blue mass.
{Blue ribbon}.
(a) The ribbon worn by members of the order of the Garter;
-- hence, a member of that order.
(b) Anything the attainment of which is an object of great
ambition; a distinction; a prize. "These
[scholarships] were the --blue ribbon of the college."
--Farrar.
(c) The distinctive badge of certain temperance or total
abstinence organizations, as of the --Blue ribbon
Army.
{Blue ruin}, utter ruin; also, gin. [Eng. Slang] --Carlyle.
{Blue spar} (Min.), azure spar; lazulite. See {Lazulite}.
{Blue thrush} (Zool.), a European and Asiatic thrush
({Petrocossyphus cyaneas}).
{Blue verditer}. See {Verditer}.
{Blue vitriol} (Chem.), sulphate of copper, a violet blue
crystallized salt, used in electric batteries, calico
printing, etc.
{Blue water}, the open ocean.
{Big Blue}, the International Business Machines corporation.
[Wall Street slang.] PJC
{To look blue}, to look disheartened or dejected.
{True blue}, genuine and thorough; not modified, nor mixed;
not spurious; specifically, of uncompromising
Presbyterianism, blue being the color adopted by the
Covenanters.
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For his religion . . .
'T was Presbyterian, true blue. --Hudibras.
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