from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Giant \Gi"ant\, a.
Like a giant; extraordinary in size, strength, or power; as,
giant brothers; a giant son.
[1913 Webster]
{Giant cell}. (Anat.) See {Myeloplax}.
{Giant clam} (Zool.), a bivalve shell of the genus
{Tridacna}, esp. {T. gigas}, which sometimes weighs 500
pounds. The shells are sometimes used in churches to
contain holy water.
{Giant heron} (Zool.), a very large African heron ({Ardeomega
goliath}). It is the largest heron known.
{Giant kettle}, a pothole of very large dimensions, as found
in Norway in connection with glaciers. See {Pothole}.
{Giant powder}. See {Nitroglycerin}.
{Giant puffball} (Bot.), a fungus ({Lycoperdon giganteum}),
edible when young, and when dried used for stanching
wounds.
{Giant salamander} (Zool.), a very large aquatic salamander
({Megalobatrachus maximus}), found in Japan. It is the
largest of living Amphibia, becoming a yard long.
{Giant squid} (Zool.), one of several species of very large
squids, belonging to {Architeuthis} and allied genera.
Some are over forty feet long.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Squid \Squid\ (skw[i^]d), n. [Cf. {Squirt}.]
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of ten-armed
cephalopods having a long, tapered body, and a caudal fin
on each side; especially, any species of {Loligo},
{Ommastrephes}, and related genera. See {Calamary},
{Decacerata}, {Dibranchiata}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Some of these squids are very abundant on the Atlantic
coast of North America, and are used in large
quantities for bait, especially in the cod fishery. The
most abundant of the American squids are the northern
squid ({Ommastrephes illecebrosus}), ranging from
Southern New England to Newfoundland, and the southern
squid ({Loligo Pealii}), ranging from Virginia to
Massachusetts.
[1913 Webster]
2. A fishhook with a piece of bright lead, bone, or other
substance, fastened on its shank to imitate a squid.
[1913 Webster]
{Flying squid}, {Giant squid}. (Zool.) See under {Flying},
and {Giant}.
{Squid hound} (Zool.), the striped bass.
[1913 Webster]