from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Squash \Squash\, n. [Massachusetts Indian asq, pl. asquash, raw,
green, immature, applied to fruit and vegetables which were
used when green, or without cooking; askutasquash vine
apple.] (Bot.)
A plant and its fruit of the genus {Cucurbita}, or gourd
kind.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The species are much confused. The long-neck squash is
called {Cucurbita verrucosa}, the Barbary or China
squash, {Cucurbita moschata}, and the great winter
squash, {Cucurbita maxima}, but the distinctions are
not clear.
[1913 Webster]
{Squash beetle} (Zool.), a small American beetle ({Diabrotica
vittata}, syn. {Galeruca vittata}) which is often abundant
and very injurious to the leaves of squash, cucumber, etc.
It is striped with yellow and black. The name is applied
also to other allied species.
{Squash bug} (Zool.), a large black American hemipterous
insect ({Coreus tristis} syn. {Anasa tristis}) injurious
to squash vines.
[1913 Webster]