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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



1,753 words match “ERICA”

CUNDURANGO n.
The bark of a South American vine (Gonolobus Condurango) of the Milkweed family. It has been supposed, but erroneously, to be a cure for cancer. [Written also condurango.]
CUPOLA n.
A roof having a rounded form, hemispherical or nearly so; also, a celing having the same form. When on a large scale it is usually called dome.
CURARE; CURARI n.
A black resinoid extract prepared by the South American Indians from the bark of several species of Strychnos (S. toxifera, etc.). It sometimes has little effect when taken internally, but is quickly fatal when introduced into the blood, and used by the Indians as an arrow poison. [Written also urari, woorali, woorari,…
CURASSOW n.
A large gallinaceous bird of the American genera Crax, Ourax, etc., of the family Cracidæ.
CURLING n.
, by sliding from one mark to another great stones of 40 to 70 pounds weight, of a hemispherical form, with an iron or wooden handle at top. The object of the player is to lay his stone as near to the mark as possible, to guard that of his partner, which has been well laid before, or to strike off that of his antagonis…
CUSK n.
fish (Brosmius brosme), allied to the cod, common on the northern coasts of Europe and America; -- called also tusk and torsk.
CUSTARD n.
, sweetened, and baked or boiled. Custard apple (Bot.), a low tree or shrub of tropical America, including several species of Anona (A. squamosa, reticulata, etc.), having a roundish or ovate fruit the size of a small orange, containing a soft, yellowish, edible pulp. -- Custard coffin, pastry, or crust, which covers…
CYCLIDE n.
A surface of the fourth degree, having certain special relations to spherical surfaces. The tore or anchor ring is one of the cyclides.
DAB n.
A name given to several species of Pleuronectes . TheAmerican rough dab is Hippoglossoides platessoides.
DAHLIA n.
A genus of plants native to Mexico and Central America, of the order Compositæ; also, any plant or flower of the genus. The numerous varieties of cultivated dahlias bear conspicuous flowers which differ in color.
DAISY n.
The whiteweed (Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum), the plant commonly called daisy in North America; -- called also oxeye daisy. See Whiteweed.
DAKOTA GROUP n.
A subdivision at the base of the cretaceous formation in Western North America; -- so named from the region where the strata were first studied.
DARTER n.
sh-water etheostomoid fish. The group includes numerous genera and species, all of them American. See Etheostomoid.
DEATHBIRD n.
or Richardson's owl (Nyctale Tengmalmi); -- so called from a superstition of the North American Indians that its note presages death.
DECILLION n.
d to the tenth power, or a unit with sixty ciphers annexed; according to the French and American notation, a thousand involved to the eleventh power, or a unit with thirty-three ciphers annexed. [See the Note under Numeration.]
DECLARATION n.
amation; as, the Declaration of Independence (now preserved in Washington). In 1776 the Americans laid before Europe that noble Declaration, which ought to be hung up in the nursery of every king, and blazoned on the porch of every royal palace. Buckle.
DECREASING a.
g. -- De*creas"ing*ly, adv. Decreasing series (Math.), a series in which each term is numerically smaller than the preceding term.
DEERGRASS n.
An American genus (Rhexia) of perennial herbs, with opposite leaves, and showy flowers (usually bright purple), with four petals and eight stamens, -- the only genus of the order Melastomaceæ inhabiting a temperate clime.
DEGU n.
A small South American rodent (Octodon Cumingii), of the family Octodontidæ.
DELAWARE n.
An American grape, with compact bunches of small, amber-colored berries, sweet and of a good flavor.
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