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A plant of the genus Linum, esp. the L. usitatissimum, which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. The fiber of the bark is used for making thread and cloth, called linen, cambric, lawn, lace, etc. Linseed oil is expressed from the seed.

at anchor to leeward. Knight. -- Floating heart (Bot.), a small aquatic plant (Limnanthemum lacunosum) whose heart-shaped leaves float on the water of American ponds. -- Floating island, a dish for dessert, consisting of custard with floating masses of whipped cream or white of eggs. -- Floating kidney. (Med.) See…

g,esp. of any flexible substance; a part laid over on another part; a plait; a plication. Mummies . . . shrouded in a number of folds of linen. Bacon. Folds are most common in the rocks of mountainous regions. J. D. Dana.

To cause to become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, as by fossilization; to mummify; to deaden. Ten layers of birthdays on a woman's head Are apt to fossilize her girlish mirth. Mrs. Browning.

An American species of rockrose (Helianthemum Canadense), sometimes used in medicine as an astringent or aromatic tonic.

unnecessary or annoying ado about trifles. Byron. Zealously, assiduously, and with a minimum of fuss or noise Carlyle.

lating plane of the curve at every point shall contain the normal to the surface; the minimum line that can be drawn on any surface between any two points.

A conspicuous yellow flower, commonly the corn marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum). [This word is variously corrupted into gouland, gools, gowan, etc.]

n removed; -- opposed to flesh side. -- Grains of paradise, the seeds of a species of amomum. -- grain tin, crystalline tin ore metallic tin smelted with charcoal. -- Grain weevil (Zoöl.), a small red weevil (Sitophilus granarius), which destroys stored wheat and othar grain, by eating out the interior. -- Grain wo…

ly, equivalent to the weight in a vacuum of one cubic centimeter of pure water at its maximum density. It is equal to 15.432 grains. See Grain, n., 4. Gram degree, or Gramme degree (Physics), a unit of heat, being the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one gram of pure water one degree centigrade. --…

th grouse. -- Gray mill or millet (Bot.), a name of several plants of the genus Lithospermum; gromwell. -- Gray mullet (Zoöl.) any one of the numerous species of the genus Mugil, or family Mugilidæ, found both in the Old World and America; as the European species (M. capito, and M. auratus), the American striped mull…

A plant of the genus Lithospermum (L. arvense), anciently used, because of its stony pericarp, in the cure of gravel. The German gromwell is the Stellera. [Written also gromill.]

fowl (N. cristata) is a finer species.-- Guinea grains (Bot.), grains of Paradise, or amomum. See Amomum. -- Guinea grass (Bot.), a tall strong forage grass (Panicum jumentorum) introduced. from Africa into the West Indies and Southern United States. -- Guinea-hen flower (Bot.), a liliaceous flower (Fritillaria Mele…

A person in disguise; a masker; a mummer. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

A coarse umbelliferous plant of Europe (Tordylium maximum).

A climbing plant of the genus Cardiospermum, having round seeds which are marked with a spot like a heart. Loudon.

An umbelliferous plant of the genus Sison (S.Amomum); -- so called because used to cure a swelling called a hone.

ound, like that of the letter m prolonged, without opening the mouth, or articulating; to mumble in monotonous undertone; to drone. The cloudy messenger turns me his back, And hums. Shak.

A plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), sprinkled with pellucid, watery vesicles, which glisten like ice. It is native along the Mediterranean, in the Canaries, and in South Africa. Its juice is said to be demulcent and diuretic; its ashes are used in Spain in making glass. Ice-skater = one who skates on ice wearing a…

p., the powdered flowers of certain species of Pyrethrum, a genus now merged in Chrysanthemum. Called also Persian powder.