nut rush

Rush \Rush\, n. [OE. rusche, rische, resche, AS. risce, akin to
   LG. rusk, risch, D. & G. rusch; all probably fr. L. ruscum
   butcher's broom; akin to Goth. raus reed, G. rohr.]
   1. (Bot.) A name given to many aquatic or marsh-growing
      endogenous plants with soft, slender stems, as the species
      of {Juncus} and {Scirpus}.
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   Note: Some species are used in bottoming chairs and plaiting
         mats, and the pith is used in some places for wicks to
         lamps and rushlights.
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   2. The merest trifle; a straw.
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            John Bull's friendship is not worth a rush.
                                                  --Arbuthnot.
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   {Bog rush}. See under {Bog}.

   {Club rush}, any rush of the genus {Scirpus}.

   {Flowering rush}. See under {Flowering}.

   {Nut rush}
      (a) Any plant of the genus {Scleria}, rushlike plants with
          hard nutlike fruits.
      (b) A name for several species of {Cyperus} having
          tuberous roots.

   {Rush broom}, an Australian leguminous plant ({Viminaria
      denudata}), having long, slender branches. Also, the
      Spanish broom. See under {Spanish}.

   {Rush candle}, See under {Candle}.

   {Rush grass}, any grass of the genus {Vilfa}, grasses with
      wiry stems and one-flowered spikelets.

   {Rush toad} (Zool.), the natterjack.

   {Scouring rush}. (Bot.) Same as {Dutch rush}, under {Dutch.}
      

   {Spike rush}, any rushlike plant of the genus {Eleocharis},
      in which the flowers grow in dense spikes.

   {Sweet rush}, a sweet-scented grass of Arabia, etc.
      ({Andropogon schoenanthus}), used in Oriental medical
      practice.

   {Wood rush}, any plant of the genus {Luzula}, which differs
      in some technical characters from {Juncus}.
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Nut \Nut\ (n[u^]t), n. [OE. nute, note, AS. hnutu; akin to D.
   noot, G. nuss, OHG. nuz, Icel. hnot, Sw. n["o]t, Dan.
   n["o]d.]
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   1. (Bot.) The fruit of certain trees and shrubs (as of the
      almond, walnut, hickory, beech, filbert, etc.), consisting
      of a hard and indehiscent shell inclosing a kernel.
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   2. A perforated block (usually a small piece of metal),
      provided with an internal or female screw thread, used on
      a bolt, or screw, for tightening or holding something, or
      for transmitting motion. See Illust. of 1st {Bolt}.
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   3. The tumbler of a gunlock. --Knight.
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   4. (Naut.) A projection on each side of the shank of an
      anchor, to secure the stock in place.
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   5. pl. Testicles. [vulgar slang]
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   {Check nut}, {Jam nut}, {Lock nut}, a nut which is screwed up
      tightly against another nut on the same bolt or screw, in
      order to prevent accidental unscrewing of the first nut.
      

   {Nut buoy}. See under {Buoy}.

   {Nut coal}, screened coal of a size smaller than stove coal
      and larger than pea coal; -- called also {chestnut coal}.
      

   {Nut crab} (Zool.), any leucosoid crab of the genus {Ebalia}
      as, {Ebalia tuberosa} of Europe.

   {Nut grass} (Bot.), See {nut grass} in the vocabulary.

   {Nut lock}, a device, as a metal plate bent up at the
      corners, to prevent a nut from becoming unscrewed, as by
      jarring.

   {Nut pine}. (Bot.) See under {Pine}.

   {Nut rush} (Bot.), a genus of cyperaceous plants ({Scleria})
      having a hard bony achene. Several species are found in
      the United States and many more in tropical regions.

   {Nut tree}, a tree that bears nuts.

   {Nut weevil} (Zool.), any species of weevils of the genus
      {Balaninus} and other allied genera, which in the larval
      state live in nuts.
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