from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Cherry \Cher"ry\ (ch[e^]r"r[y^]), n. [OE. chery, for cherys, fr.
F. cerise (cf. AS. cyrs cherry), fr. LL. ceresia, fr. L.
cerasus Cherry tree, Gr. keraso`s, perh. fr. ke`ras horn,
from the hardness of the wood.]
1. (Bot.) A tree or shrub of the genus {Prunus} (Which also
includes the plum) bearing a fleshy drupe with a bony
stone;
(a) The common garden cherry ({Prunus Cerasus}), of which
several hundred varieties are cultivated for the
fruit, some of which are, the begarreau, blackheart,
black Tartarian, oxheart, morelle or morello, May-duke
(corrupted from M['e]doc in France).
(b) The wild cherry; as, {Prunus serotina} (wild black
cherry), valued for its timber; {Prunus Virginiana}
(choke cherry), an American shrub which bears
astringent fruit; {Prunus avium} and {Prunus Padus},
European trees (bird cherry).
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2. The fruit of the cherry tree, a drupe of various colors
and flavors.
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3. The timber of the cherry tree, esp. of the black cherry,
used in cabinetmaking, etc.
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4. A peculiar shade of red, like that of a cherry.
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{Barbadoes cherry}. See under {Barbadoes}.
{Cherry bird} (Zool.), an American bird; the cedar bird; --
so called from its fondness for cherries.
{Cherry bounce}, cherry brandy and sugar.
{Cherry brandy}, brandy in which cherries have been steeped.
{Cherry laurel} (Bot.), an evergreen shrub ({Prunus
Lauro-cerasus}) common in shrubberies, the poisonous
leaves of which have a flavor like that of bitter almonds.
{Cherry pepper} (Bot.), a species of {Capsicum} ({Capsicum
cerasiforme}), with small, scarlet, intensely piquant
cherry-shaped fruit.
{Cherry pit}.
(a) A child's play, in which cherries are thrown into a
hole. --Shak.
(b) A cherry stone.
{Cherry rum}, rum in which cherries have been steeped.
{Cherry sucker} (Zool.), the European spotted flycatcher
({Musicapa grisola}); -- called also {cherry chopper}
{cherry snipe}.
{Cherry tree}, a tree that bears cherries.
{Ground cherry}, {Winter cherry}, See {Alkekengi}.
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