資料來源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Gentian \Gen"tian\, n. [OE. genciane, F. gentiane, L. gentiana,
fr. Gentius, an Illyrian king, said to have discovered its
properties.] (Bot.)
Any one of a genus ({Gentiana}) of herbaceous plants with
opposite leaves and a tubular four- or five-lobed corolla,
usually blue, but sometimes white, yellow, or red. See
Illust. of {Capsule}.
Note: Many species are found on the highest mountains of
Europe, Asia, and America, and some are prized for
their beauty, as the Alpine ({Gentiana verna},
{Bavarica}, and {excisa}), and the American fringed
gentians ({G. crinita} and {G. detonsa}). Several are
used as tonics, especially the bitter roots of
{Gentiana lutea}, the officinal gentian of the
pharmacop[oe]ias.
{Horse gentian}, fever root.
{Yellow gentian} (Bot.), the officinal gentian ({Gentiana
lutea}). See {Bitterwort}.
{Horse emmet} (Zo["o]l.), the horse ant.
{Horse finch} (Zo["o]l.), the chaffinch. [Prov. Eng.]
{Horse gentian} (Bot.), fever root.
{Horse iron} (Naut.), a large calking iron.
{Horse latitudes}, a space in the North Atlantic famous for
calms and baffling winds, being between the westerly winds
of higher latitudes and the trade winds. --Ham. Nav.
Encyc.
{Horse mackrel}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The common tunny ({Orcynus thunnus}), found on the
Atlantic coast of Europe and America, and in the
Mediterranean.
(b) The bluefish ({Pomatomus saltatrix}).
(c) The scad.
(d) The name is locally applied to various other fishes,
as the California hake, the black candlefish, the
jurel, the bluefish, etc.
{Horse marine} (Naut.), an awkward, lubbery person; one of a
mythical body of marine cavalry. [Slang]
{Horse mussel} (Zo["o]l.), a large, marine mussel ({Modiola
modiolus}), found on the northern shores of Europe and
America.
{Horse nettle} (Bot.), a coarse, prickly, American herb, the
{Solanum Carolinense}.
{Horse parsley}. (Bot.) See {Alexanders}.
{Horse purslain} (Bot.), a coarse fleshy weed of tropical
America ({Trianthema monogymnum}).
{Horse race}, a race by horses; a match of horses in running
or trotting.
{Horse racing}, the practice of racing with horses.
{Horse railroad}, a railroad on which the cars are drawn by
horses; -- in England, and sometimes in the United States,
called a {tramway}.
{Horse run} (Civil Engin.), a device for drawing loaded
wheelbarrows up an inclined plane by horse power.
{Horse sense}, strong common sense. [Colloq. U.S.]
{Horse soldier}, a cavalryman.
{Horse sponge} (Zo["o]l.), a large, coarse, commercial sponge
({Spongia equina}).
{Horse stinger} (Zo["o]l.), a large dragon fly. [Prov. Eng.]
{Horse sugar} (Bot.), a shrub of the southern part of the
United States ({Symplocos tinctoria}), whose leaves are
sweet, and good for fodder.
{Horse tick} (Zo["o]l.), a winged, dipterous insect
({Hippobosca equina}), which troubles horses by biting
them, and sucking their blood; -- called also {horsefly},
{horse louse}, and {forest fly}.
{Horse vetch} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Hippocrepis} ({H.
comosa}), cultivated for the beauty of its flowers; --
called also {horsehoe vetch}, from the peculiar shape of
its pods.
{Iron horse}, a locomotive. [Colloq.]
{Salt horse}, the sailor's name for salt beef.
{To look a gift horse in the mouth}, to examine the mouth of
a horse which has been received as a gift, in order to
ascertain his age; -- hence, to accept favors in a
critical and thankless spirit. --Lowell.
{To take horse}.
(a) To set out on horseback. --Macaulay.
(b) To be covered, as a mare.
(c) See definition 7 (above).
資料來源 : WordNet®
horse gentian
n : coarse weedy American perennial herb with large usually
perfoliate leaves and purple or dull red flowers [syn: {feverroot},
{tinker's root}, {wild coffee}, {Triostium perfoliatum}]