Saponaria officinalis
n 1: plant of European origin having pink or white flowers and
leaves yielding a detergent when bruised [syn: {soapwort},
{hedge pink}, {bouncing Bet}, {bouncing Bess}, {Saponaria
officinalis}]
Fuller \Full"er\, n. [AS. fullere, fr. L. fullo. See {Full}, v.
t.]
One whose occupation is to full cloth.
[1913 Webster]
{Fuller's earth}, a variety of clay, used in scouring and
cleansing cloth, to imbibe grease.
{Fuller's herb} (Bot.), the soapwort ({Saponaria
officinalis}), formerly used to remove stains from cloth.
{Fuller's thistle} or {Fuller's weed} (Bot.), the teasel
({Dipsacus fullonum}) whose burs are used by fullers in
dressing cloth. See {Teasel}.
[1913 Webster]
Saponin \Sap"o*nin\, n. [L. sapo, -onis soap: cf. F. saponine.]
(Chem.)
A poisonous glucoside found in many plants, as in the root of
soapwort ({Saponaria officinalis}), in the bark of soap bark
({Quillaja saponaria}), etc. It is extracted as a white
amorphous powder, which produces a soapy lather in solution,
and produces a local anaesthesia. It is used as a detergent
and for emulsifying oils. Formerly called also {struthiin},
{quillaiin}, {senegin}, {polygalic acid}, etc. By extension,
any one of a group of related bodies of which saponin proper
is the type.
[1913 Webster + PJC]
Soapwort \Soap"wort`\, n. (Bot.)
A common plant ({Saponaria officinalis}) of the Pink family;
-- so called because its bruised leaves, when agitated in
water, produce a lather like that from soap. Called also
{Bouncing Bet}.
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Bouncing \Boun"cing\, a.
1. Stout; plump and healthy; lusty; buxom.
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Many tall and bouncing young ladies. --Thackeray.
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2. Excessive; big. "A bouncing reckoning." --B. & Fl.
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{Bouncing Bet} (Bot.), the common soapwort ({Saponaria
officinalis}). --Harper's Mag.
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