wood reed grass

Reed \Reed\, n. [AS. hre['o]d; akin to D. riet, G. riet, ried,
   OHG. kriot, riot.]
   1. (Bot.) A name given to many tall and coarse grasses or
      grasslike plants, and their slender, often jointed, stems,
      such as the various kinds of bamboo, and especially the
      common reed of Europe and North America ({Phragmites
      communis}).
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   2. A musical instrument made of the hollow joint of some
      plant; a rustic or pastoral pipe.
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            Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed
            Of Hermes.                            --Milton.
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   3. An arrow, as made of a reed. --Prior.
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   4. Straw prepared for thatching a roof. [Prov. Eng.]
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   5. (Mus.)
      (a) A small piece of cane or wood attached to the
          mouthpiece of certain instruments, and set in
          vibration by the breath. In the clarinet it is a
          single fiat reed; in the oboe and bassoon it is
          double, forming a compressed tube.
      (b) One of the thin pieces of metal, the vibration of
          which produce the tones of a melodeon, accordeon,
          harmonium, or seraphine; also attached to certain sets
          or registers of pipes in an organ.
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   6. (Weaving) A frame having parallel flat stripe of metal or
      reed, between which the warp threads pass, set in the
      swinging lathe or batten of a loom for beating up the
      weft; a sley. See {Batten}.
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   7. (Mining) A tube containing the train of powder for
      igniting the charge in blasting.
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   8. (Arch.) Same as {Reeding}.
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   {Egyptian reed} (Bot.), the papyrus.

   {Free reed} (Mus.), a reed whose edges do not overlap the
      wind passage, -- used in the harmonium, concertina, etc.
      It is distinguished from the beating or striking reed of
      the organ and clarinet.

   {Meadow reed grass} (Bot.), the {Glyceria aquatica}, a tall
      grass found in wet places.

   {Reed babbler}. See {Reedbird}.

   {Reed bunting} (Zool.) A European sparrow ({Emberiza
      sch[oe]niclus}) which frequents marshy places; -- called
      also {reed sparrow}, {ring bunting}.
      (b) Reedling.

   {Reed canary grass} (Bot.), a tall wild grass ({Phalaris
      arundinacea}).

   {Reed grass}. (Bot.)
      (a) The common reed. See {Reed}, 1.
      (b) A plant of the genus {Sparganium}; bur reed. See under
          {Bur}.

   {Reed organ} (Mus.), an organ in which the wind acts on a set
      of free reeds, as the harmonium, melodeon, concertina,
      etc.

   {Reed pipe} (Mus.), a pipe of an organ furnished with a reed.
      

   {Reed sparrow}. (Zool.) See {Reed bunting}, above.

   {Reed stop} (Mus.), a set of pipes in an organ furnished with
      reeds.

   {Reed warbler}. (Zool.)
      (a) A small European warbler ({Acrocephalus streperus});
          -- called also {reed wren}.
      (b) Any one of several species of Indian and Australian
          warblers of the genera {Acrocephalus}, {Calamoherpe},
          and {Arundinax}. They are excellent singers.

   {Sea-sand reed} (Bot.), a kind of coarse grass ({Ammophila
      arundinacea}). See {Beach grass}, under {Beach}.

   {Wood reed grass} (Bot.), a tall, elegant grass ({Cinna
      arundinacea}), common in moist woods.
      [1913 Webster] Reedbird
    

Wood \Wood\, n. [OE. wode, wude, AS. wudu, wiodu; akin to OHG.
   witu, Icel. vi?r, Dan. & Sw. ved wood, and probably to Ir. &
   Gael. fiodh, W. gwydd trees, shrubs.]
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   1. A large and thick collection of trees; a forest or grove;
      -- frequently used in the plural.
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            Light thickens, and the crow
            Makes wing to the rooky wood.         --Shak.
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   2. The substance of trees and the like; the hard fibrous
      substance which composes the body of a tree and its
      branches, and which is covered by the bark; timber. "To
      worship their own work in wood and stone for gods."
      --Milton.
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   3. (Bot.) The fibrous material which makes up the greater
      part of the stems and branches of trees and shrubby
      plants, and is found to a less extent in herbaceous stems.
      It consists of elongated tubular or needle-shaped cells of
      various kinds, usually interwoven with the shinning bands
      called silver grain.
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   Note: Wood consists chiefly of the carbohydrates cellulose
         and lignin, which are isomeric with starch.
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   4. Trees cut or sawed for the fire or other uses.
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   {Wood acid}, {Wood vinegar} (Chem.), a complex acid liquid
      obtained in the dry distillation of wood, and containing
      large quantities of acetic acid; hence, specifically,
      acetic acid. Formerly called {pyroligneous acid}.

   {Wood anemone} (Bot.), a delicate flower ({Anemone nemorosa})
      of early spring; -- also called {windflower}. See Illust.
      of {Anemone}.

   {Wood ant} (Zool.), a large ant ({Formica rufa}) which lives
      in woods and forests, and constructs large nests.

   {Wood apple} (Bot.). See {Elephant apple}, under {Elephant}.
      

   {Wood baboon} (Zool.), the drill.

   {Wood betony}. (Bot.)
      (a) Same as {Betony}.
      (b) The common American lousewort ({Pedicularis
          Canadensis}), a low perennial herb with yellowish or
          purplish flowers.

   {Wood borer}. (Zool.)
      (a) The larva of any one of numerous species of boring
          beetles, esp. elaters, longicorn beetles,
          buprestidans, and certain weevils. See {Apple borer},
          under {Apple}, and {Pine weevil}, under {Pine}.
      (b) The larva of any one of various species of
          lepidopterous insects, especially of the clearwing
          moths, as the peach-tree borer (see under {Peach}),
          and of the goat moths.
      (c) The larva of various species of hymenopterous of the
          tribe Urocerata. See {Tremex}.
      (d) Any one of several bivalve shells which bore in wood,
          as the teredos, and species of Xylophaga.
      (e) Any one of several species of small Crustacea, as the
          {Limnoria}, and the boring amphipod ({Chelura
          terebrans}).

   {Wood carpet}, a kind of floor covering made of thin pieces
      of wood secured to a flexible backing, as of cloth.
      --Knight.

   {Wood cell} (Bot.), a slender cylindrical or prismatic cell
      usually tapering to a point at both ends. It is the
      principal constituent of woody fiber.

   {Wood choir}, the choir, or chorus, of birds in the woods.
      [Poetic] --Coleridge.

   {Wood coal}, charcoal; also, lignite, or brown coal.

   {Wood cricket} (Zool.), a small European cricket ({Nemobius
      sylvestris}).

   {Wood culver} (Zool.), the wood pigeon.

   {Wood cut}, an engraving on wood; also, a print from such an
      engraving.

   {Wood dove} (Zool.), the stockdove.

   {Wood drink}, a decoction or infusion of medicinal woods.

   {Wood duck} (Zool.)
      (a) A very beautiful American duck ({Aix sponsa}). The
          male has a large crest, and its plumage is varied with
          green, purple, black, white, and red. It builds its
          nest in trees, whence the name. Called also {bridal
          duck}, {summer duck}, and {wood widgeon}.
      (b) The hooded merganser.
      (c) The Australian maned goose ({Chlamydochen jubata}).

   {Wood echo}, an echo from the wood.

   {Wood engraver}.
      (a) An engraver on wood.
      (b) (Zool.) Any of several species of small beetles whose
          larvae bore beneath the bark of trees, and excavate
          furrows in the wood often more or less resembling
          coarse engravings; especially, {Xyleborus
          xylographus}.

   {Wood engraving}.
      (a) The act or art engraving on wood; xylography.
      (b) An engraving on wood; a wood cut; also, a print from
          such an engraving.

   {Wood fern}. (Bot.) See {Shield fern}, under {Shield}.

   {Wood fiber}.
      (a) (Bot.) Fibrovascular tissue.
      (b) Wood comminuted, and reduced to a powdery or dusty
          mass.

   {Wood fretter} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
      beetles whose larvae bore in the wood, or beneath the
      bark, of trees.

   {Wood frog} (Zool.), a common North American frog ({Rana
      sylvatica}) which lives chiefly in the woods, except
      during the breeding season. It is drab or yellowish brown,
      with a black stripe on each side of the head.

   {Wood germander}. (Bot.) See under {Germander}.

   {Wood god}, a fabled sylvan deity.

   {Wood grass}. (Bot.) See under {Grass}.

   {Wood grouse}. (Zool.)
      (a) The capercailzie.
      (b) The spruce partridge. See under {Spruce}.

   {Wood guest} (Zool.), the ringdove. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Wood hen}. (Zool.)
      (a) Any one of several species of Old World short-winged
          rails of the genus {Ocydromus}, including the weka and
          allied species.
      (b) The American woodcock.

   {Wood hoopoe} (Zool.), any one of several species of Old
      World arboreal birds belonging to {Irrisor} and allied
      genera. They are closely allied to the common hoopoe, but
      have a curved beak, and a longer tail.

   {Wood ibis} (Zool.), any one of several species of large,
      long-legged, wading birds belonging to the genus
      {Tantalus}. The head and neck are naked or scantily
      covered with feathers. The American wood ibis ({Tantalus
      loculator}) is common in Florida.

   {Wood lark} (Zool.), a small European lark ({Alauda
      arborea}), which, like, the skylark, utters its notes
      while on the wing. So called from its habit of perching on
      trees.

   {Wood laurel} (Bot.), a European evergreen shrub ({Daphne
      Laureola}).

   {Wood leopard} (Zool.), a European spotted moth ({Zeuzera
      aesculi}) allied to the goat moth. Its large fleshy larva
      bores in the wood of the apple, pear, and other fruit
      trees.

   {Wood lily} (Bot.), the lily of the valley.

   {Wood lock} (Naut.), a piece of wood close fitted and
      sheathed with copper, in the throating or score of the
      pintle, to keep the rudder from rising.

   {Wood louse} (Zool.)
      (a) Any one of numerous species of terrestrial isopod
          Crustacea belonging to {Oniscus}, {Armadillo}, and
          related genera. See {Sow bug}, under Sow, and {Pill
          bug}, under {Pill}.
      (b) Any one of several species of small, wingless,
          pseudoneuropterous insects of the family {Psocidae},
          which live in the crevices of walls and among old
          books and papers. Some of the species are called also
          {book lice}, and {deathticks}, or {deathwatches}.

   {Wood mite} (Zool.), any one of numerous small mites of the
      family {Oribatidae}. They are found chiefly in woods, on
      tree trunks and stones.

   {Wood mote}. (Eng. Law)
      (a) Formerly, the forest court.
      (b) The court of attachment.

   {Wood nettle}. (Bot.) See under {Nettle}.

   {Wood nightshade} (Bot.), woody nightshade.

   {Wood nut} (Bot.), the filbert.

   {Wood nymph}. (a) A nymph inhabiting the woods; a fabled
      goddess of the woods; a dryad. "The wood nymphs, decked
      with daisies trim." --Milton.
      (b) (Zool.) Any one of several species of handsomely
          colored moths belonging to the genus {Eudryas}. The
          larvae are bright-colored, and some of the species, as
          {Eudryas grata}, and {Eudryas unio}, feed on the
          leaves of the grapevine.
      (c) (Zool.) Any one of several species of handsomely
          colored South American humming birds belonging to the
          genus {Thalurania}. The males are bright blue, or
          green and blue.

   {Wood offering}, wood burnt on the altar.
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            We cast the lots . . . for the wood offering. --Neh.
                                                  x. 34.
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   {Wood oil} (Bot.), a resinous oil obtained from several East
      Indian trees of the genus {Dipterocarpus}, having
      properties similar to those of copaiba, and sometimes
      substituted for it. It is also used for mixing paint. See
      {Gurjun}.

   {Wood opal} (Min.), a striped variety of coarse opal, having
      some resemblance to wood.

   {Wood paper}, paper made of wood pulp. See {Wood pulp},
      below.

   {Wood pewee} (Zool.), a North American tyrant flycatcher
      ({Contopus virens}). It closely resembles the pewee, but
      is smaller.

   {Wood pie} (Zool.), any black and white woodpecker,
      especially the European great spotted woodpecker.

   {Wood pigeon}. (Zool.)
      (a) Any one of numerous species of Old World pigeons
          belonging to {Palumbus} and allied genera of the
          family {Columbidae}.
      (b) The ringdove.

   {Wood puceron} (Zool.), a plant louse.

   {Wood pulp} (Technol.), vegetable fiber obtained from the
      poplar and other white woods, and so softened by digestion
      with a hot solution of alkali that it can be formed into
      sheet paper, etc. It is now produced on an immense scale.
      

   {Wood quail} (Zool.), any one of several species of East
      Indian crested quails belonging to {Rollulus} and allied
      genera, as the red-crested wood quail ({Rollulus
      roulroul}), the male of which is bright green, with a long
      crest of red hairlike feathers.

   {Wood rabbit} (Zool.), the cottontail.

   {Wood rat} (Zool.), any one of several species of American
      wild rats of the genus {Neotoma} found in the Southern
      United States; -- called also {bush rat}. The Florida wood
      rat ({Neotoma Floridana}) is the best-known species.

   {Wood reed grass} (Bot.), a tall grass ({Cinna arundinacea})
      growing in moist woods.

   {Wood reeve}, the steward or overseer of a wood. [Eng.]

   {Wood rush} (Bot.), any plant of the genus {Luzula},
      differing from the true rushes of the genus {Juncus}
      chiefly in having very few seeds in each capsule.

   {Wood sage} (Bot.), a name given to several labiate plants of
      the genus {Teucrium}. See {Germander}.

   {Wood screw}, a metal screw formed with a sharp thread, and
      usually with a slotted head, for insertion in wood.

   {Wood sheldrake} (Zool.), the hooded merganser.

   {Wood shock} (Zool.), the fisher. See {Fisher}, 2.

   {Wood shrike} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of Old
      World singing birds belonging to {Grallina},
      {Collyricincla}, {Prionops}, and allied genera, common in
      India and Australia. They are allied to the true shrikes,
      but feed upon both insects and berries.

   {Wood snipe}. (Zool.)
      (a) The American woodcock.
      (b) An Asiatic snipe ({Gallinago nemoricola}).

   {Wood soot}, soot from burnt wood.

   {Wood sore}. (Zool.) See {Cuckoo spit}, under {Cuckoo}.

   {Wood sorrel} (Bot.), a plant of the genus Oxalis ({Oxalis
      Acetosella}), having an acid taste. See Illust. (a) of
      {Shamrock}.

   {Wood spirit}. (Chem.) See {Methyl alcohol}, under {Methyl}.
      

   {Wood stamp}, a carved or engraved block or stamp of wood,
      for impressing figures or colors on fabrics.

   {Wood star} (Zool.), any one of several species of small
      South American humming birds belonging to the genus
      {Calothorax}. The male has a brilliant gorget of blue,
      purple, and other colors.

   {Wood sucker} (Zool.), the yaffle.

   {Wood swallow} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of Old
      World passerine birds belonging to the genus {Artamus} and
      allied genera of the family {Artamidae}. They are common
      in the East Indies, Asia, and Australia. In form and
      habits they resemble swallows, but in structure they
      resemble shrikes. They are usually black above and white
      beneath.

   {Wood tapper} (Zool.), any woodpecker.

   {Wood tar}. See under {Tar}.

   {Wood thrush}, (Zool.)
      (a) An American thrush ({Turdus mustelinus}) noted for the
          sweetness of its song. See under {Thrush}.
      (b) The missel thrush.

   {Wood tick}. See in Vocabulary.

   {Wood tin}. (Min.). See {Cassiterite}.

   {Wood titmouse} (Zool.), the goldcgest.

   {Wood tortoise} (Zool.), the sculptured tortoise. See under
      {Sculptured}.

   {Wood vine} (Bot.), the white bryony.

   {Wood vinegar}. See {Wood acid}, above.

   {Wood warbler}. (Zool.)
      (a) Any one of numerous species of American warblers of
          the genus {Dendroica}. See {Warbler}.
      (b) A European warbler ({Phylloscopus sibilatrix}); --
          called also {green wren}, {wood wren}, and {yellow
          wren}.

   {Wood worm} (Zool.), a larva that bores in wood; a wood
      borer.

   {Wood wren}. (Zool.)
      (a) The wood warbler.
      (b) The willow warbler.
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