from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tiger \Ti"ger\, n. [OE. tigre, F. tigre, L. tigris, Gr. ti`gris;
probably of Persian origin; cf. Zend tighra pointed, tighri
an arrow, Per. t[imac]r; perhaps akin to E. stick, v. t.; --
probably so named from its quickness.]
1. A very large and powerful carnivore ({Felis tigris})
native of Southern Asia and the East Indies. Its back and
sides are tawny or rufous yellow, transversely striped
with black, the tail is ringed with black, the throat and
belly are nearly white. When full grown, it equals or
exceeds the lion in size and strength. Called also {royal
tiger}, and {Bengal tiger}.
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2. Fig.: A ferocious, bloodthirsty person.
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As for heinous tiger, Tamora. --Shak.
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3. A servant in livery, who rides with his master or
mistress. --Dickens.
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4. A kind of growl or screech, after cheering; as, three
cheers and a tiger. [Colloq. U. S.]
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5. A pneumatic box or pan used in refining sugar.
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{American tiger}. (Zool.)
(a) The puma.
(b) The jaguar.
{Clouded tiger} (Zool.), a handsome striped and spotted
carnivore ({Felis macrocelis} or {Felis marmorata}) native
of the East Indies and Southern Asia. Its body is about
three and a half feet long, and its tail about three feet
long. Its ground color is brownish gray, and the dark
markings are irregular stripes, spots, and rings, but
there are always two dark bands on the face, one extending
back from the eye, and one from the angle of the mouth.
Called also {tortoise-shell tiger}.
{Mexican tiger} (Zool.), the jaguar.
{Tiger beetle} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of active
carnivorous beetles of the family {Cicindelidae}. They
usually inhabit dry or sandy places, and fly rapidly.
{Tiger bittern}. (Zool.) See {Sun bittern}, under {Sun}.
{Tiger cat} (Zool.), any one of several species of wild cats
of moderate size with dark transverse bars or stripes
somewhat resembling those of the tiger.
{Tiger flower} (Bot.), an iridaceous plant of the genus
{Tigridia} (as {Tigridia conchiflora}, {Tigridia
grandiflora}, etc.) having showy flowers, spotted or
streaked somewhat like the skin of a tiger.
{Tiger grass} (Bot.), a low East Indian fan palm ({Chamaerops
Ritchieana}). It is used in many ways by the natives. --J.
Smith (Dict. Econ. Plants).
{Tiger lily}. (Bot.) See under {Lily}.
{Tiger moth} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of moths of
the family {Arctiadae} which are striped or barred with
black and white or with other conspicuous colors. The
larvae are called {woolly bears}.
{Tiger shark} (Zool.), a voracious shark ({Galeocerdo
tigrinus} syn. {Galeocerdo maculatus}) more or less barred
or spotted with yellow. It is found in both the Atlantic
and Indian Ocean. Called also {zebra shark}.
{Tiger shell} (Zool.), a large and conspicuously spotted
cowrie ({Cypraea tigris}); -- so called from its fancied
resemblance to a tiger in color and markings. Called also
{tiger cowrie}.
{Tiger snake} (Zool.), either of two very venomous snakes of
Tasmania and Australia, {Notechis scutatis} and {Notechis
ater}, which grow up to 5 feet in length.
{Tiger wolf} (Zool.), the spotted hyena ({Hyaena crocuta}).
{Tiger wood}, the variegated heartwood of a tree ({Machaerium
Schomburgkii}) found in Guiana.
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