from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hedge \Hedge\, n. [OE. hegge, AS. hecg; akin to haga an
inclosure, E. haw, AS. hege hedge, E. haybote, D. hegge, OHG.
hegga, G. hecke. [root]12. See {Haw} a hedge.]
A thicket of bushes, usually thorn bushes; especially, such a
thicket planted as a fence between any two portions of land;
and also any sort of shrubbery, as evergreens, planted in a
line or as a fence; particularly, such a thicket planted
round a field to fence it, or in rows to separate the parts
of a garden.
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The roughest berry on the rudest hedge. --Shak.
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Through the verdant maze
Of sweetbrier hedges I pursue my walk. --Thomson.
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Note: Hedge, when used adjectively or in composition, often
means rustic, outlandish, illiterate, poor, or mean;
as, hedge priest; hedgeborn, etc.
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{Hedge bells}, {Hedge bindweed} (Bot.), a climbing plant
related to the morning-glory ({Convolvulus sepium}).
{Hedge bill}, a long-handled billhook.
{Hedge garlic} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Alliaria}. See
{Garlic mustard}, under {Garlic}.
{Hedge hyssop} (Bot.), a bitter herb of the genus {Gratiola},
the leaves of which are emetic and purgative.
{Hedge marriage}, a secret or clandestine marriage,
especially one performed by a hedge priest. [Eng.]
{Hedge mustard} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Sisymbrium},
belonging to the Mustard family.
{Hedge nettle} (Bot.), an herb, or under shrub, of the genus
{Stachys}, belonging to the Mint family. It has a
nettlelike appearance, though quite harmless.
{Hedge note}.
(a) The note of a hedge bird.
(b) Low, contemptible writing. [Obs.] --Dryden.
{Hedge priest}, a poor, illiterate priest. --Shak.
{Hedge school}, an open-air school in the shelter of a hedge,
in Ireland; a school for rustics.
{Hedge sparrow} (Zool.), a European warbler ({Accentor
modularis}) which frequents hedges. Its color is reddish
brown, and ash; the wing coverts are tipped with white.
Called also {chanter}, {hedge warbler}, {dunnock}, and
{doney}.
{Hedge writer}, an insignificant writer, or a writer of low,
scurrilous stuff. [Obs.] --Swift.
{To breast up a hedge}. See under {Breast}.
{To hang in the hedge}, to be at a standstill. "While the
business of money hangs in the hedge." --Pepys.
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