Sweet potato

sweet potato
    n 1: pantropical vine widely cultivated in several varieties for
         its large sweet tuberous root with orange flesh [syn:
         {sweet potato}, {sweet potato vine}, {Ipomoea batatas}]
    2: the edible tuberous root of the sweet potato vine which is
       grown widely in warm regions of the United States
    3: egg-shaped terra cotta wind instrument with a mouthpiece and
       finger holes [syn: {ocarina}, {sweet potato}]
    

Potato \Po*ta"to\, n.; pl. {Potatoes}. [Sp. patata potato,
   batata sweet potato, from the native American name (probably
   batata) in Hayti.] (Bot.)
      (a) A plant ({Solanum tuberosum}) of the Nightshade
          family, and its esculent farinaceous tuber, of which
          there are numerous varieties used for food. It is
          native of South America, but a form of the species is
          found native as far north as New Mexico.
      (b) The sweet potato (see below).
          [1913 Webster]

   {Potato beetle}, {Potato bug}. (Zool.)
      (a) A beetle ({Doryphora decemlineata}) which feeds, both
          in the larval and adult stages, upon the leaves of the
          potato, often doing great damage. Called also
          {Colorado potato beetle}, and {Doryphora}. See
          {Colorado beetle}.
      (b) The {Lema trilineata}, a smaller and more slender
          striped beetle which feeds upon the potato plant, bur
          does less injury than the preceding species.

   {Potato fly} (Zool.), any one of several species of blister
      beetles infesting the potato vine. The black species
      ({Lytta atrata}), the striped ({Lytta vittata}), and the
      gray ({Lytta Fabricii} syn. {Lytta cinerea}) are the most
      common. See {Blister beetle}, under {Blister}.

   {Potato rot}, a disease of the tubers of the potato, supposed
      to be caused by a kind of mold ({Peronospora infestans}),
      which is first seen upon the leaves and stems.

   {Potato weevil} (Zool.), an American weevil ({Baridius
      trinotatus}) whose larva lives in and kills the stalks of
      potato vines, often causing serious damage to the crop.

   {Potato whisky}, a strong, fiery liquor, having a hot, smoky
      taste, and rich in amyl alcohol (fusel oil); it is made
      from potatoes or potato starch.

   {Potato worm} (Zool.), the large green larva of a sphinx, or
      hawk moth ({Macrosila quinquemaculata}); -- called also
      {tomato worm}. See Illust. under {Tomato}.

   {Seaside potato} (Bot.), {Ipom[oe]a Pes-Capr[ae]}, a kind of
      morning-glory with rounded and emarginate or bilobed
      leaves. [West Indies]

   {Sweet potato} (Bot.), a climbing plant ({Ipom[oe]a Balatas})
      allied to the morning-glory. Its farinaceous tubers have a
      sweetish taste, and are used, when cooked, for food. It is
      probably a native of Brazil, but is cultivated extensively
      in the warmer parts of every continent, and even as far
      north as New Jersey. The name potato was applied to this
      plant before it was to the {Solanum tuberosum}, and this
      is the "potato" of the Southern United States.

   {Wild potato}. (Bot.)
      (a) A vine ({Ipom[oe]a pandurata}) having a pale purplish
          flower and an enormous root. It is common in sandy
          places in the United States.
      (b) A similar tropical American plant ({Ipom[oe]a
          fastigiata}) which it is thought may have been the
          original stock of the sweet potato.
          [1913 Webster]
    

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.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   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]
    

49 Moby Thesaurus words for "sweet potato":
      English horn, Pandean pipe, aulos, basset horn, basset oboe,
      bassoon, bombard, clarinet, contrabassoon, contrafagotto, cromorne,
      double bassoon, double reed, fife, fipple flute, flageolet, flute,
      hautboy, heckelphone, hornpipe, licorice stick, musette,
      oaten reed, oboe, oboe da caccia, ocarina, panpipe, penny-whistle,
      piccolo, pipe, pommer, recorder, reed, reed instrument, sax,
      saxophone, shawm, single reed, single-reed instrument, sonorophone,
      syrinx, tabor pipe, tenoroon, tin-whistle, whistle, woods,
      woodwind, woodwind choir, woodwind instrument