Laurus nobilis

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
Laurus nobilis
    n 1: small Mediterranean evergreen tree with small blackish
         berries and glossy aromatic leaves used for flavoring in
         cooking; also used by ancient Greeks to crown victors [syn:
         {true laurel}, {bay}, {bay laurel}, {bay tree}, {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.
         [1913 Webster]

   Note: The name is extended to other plants which in some
         respect resemble the true laurel. See Phrases, below.
         [1913 Webster]

   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}.
      [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Laurus \Lau"rus\, n. [L., laurel.] (Bot.)
   A genus of trees including, according to modern authors, only
   the true laurel ({Laurus nobilis}), and the larger {Laurus
   Canariensis} of Madeira and the Canary Islands. Formerly the
   sassafras, the camphor tree, the cinnamon tree, and several
   other aromatic trees and shrubs, were also referred to the
   genus {Laurus}.
   [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Lauric \Lau"ric\, a.
   1. Pertaining to, or derived from, the European bay or laurel
      ({Laurus nobilis}).
      [1913 Webster]

   2. pertaining to or combined with {lauric acid}, the
      12-carbon member of the fatty acid series; combined with
      the acyl group of lauric acid.
      [PJC]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Laurin \Lau"rin\, n. [Cf. F. laurine.] (Chem.)
   A white crystalline substance extracted from the fruit of the
   bay ({Laurus nobilis}), and consisting of a complex mixture
   of glycerin ethers of several organic acids.
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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.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Kingly; regal; monarchical; imperial; kinglike;
        princely; august; majestic; superb; splendid;
        illustrious; noble; magnanimous.
        [1913 Webster]
    
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.
          [1913 Webster]

   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.
         [1913 Webster]

   {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.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Sugary; saccharine; dulcet; luscious.
        [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sweetwood \Sweet"wood`\, n. (Bot.)
   (a) The true laurel ({Laurus nobilis}.)
   (b) The timber of the tree {Oreodaphne Leucoxylon}, growing
       in Jamaica. The name is also applied to the timber of
       several other related trees.
       [1913 Webster]
    
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.]
      [1913 Webster]

   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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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Bayberry \Bay"ber*ry\, n. (Bot.)
   (a) The fruit of the bay tree or {Laurus nobilis}.
   (b) A tree of the West Indies related to the myrtle ({Pimenta
       acris}).
   (c) The fruit of {Myrica cerifera} (wax myrtle); the shrub
       itself; -- called also {candleberry tree}.
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   {Bayberry tallow}, a fragrant green wax obtained from the
      bayberry or wax myrtle; -- called also {myrtle wax}.
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Bay tree \Bay" tree`\
   A species of laurel. ({Laurus nobilis}).
   [1913 Webster]
    

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