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A genus of diminutive Shrubs, mostly evergreen, and with fragrant blossoms.

A colorless crystalline substance, C9H6O4, extracted from daphnin.

A dark green bitter resin extracted from the mezereon (Daphne mezereum) and regarded as the essential principle of the plant. [R.]

smaller than the mountain laurel, and with smaller and redder flowers. -- Spurge laurel, Daphne Laureola. -- West Indian laurel, Prunus occidentalis.

A small European shrub (Daphne Mezereum), whose acrid bark is used in medicine.

Denoting the middle part; as, in mid ocean. No more the mounting larks, while Daphne sings, Shall list'ning in mid air suspend their wings. Pope.

n purpose or direction; to rove; to wander. He roameth to the carpenter's house. Chaucer. Daphne roaming through a thorny wood. Shak.

Any plant of the genus Euphobia. See Euphorbia. Spurge flax, an evergreen shrub (Daphne Gnidium) with crowded narrow leaves. It is native of Southern Europe. -- Spurge laurel, a European shrub (Daphne Laureola) with oblong evergreen leaves. -- Spurge nettle. See under Nettle. -- Spurge olive, an evergreen shrub (Dap…

To vie; to compete; to be a rival. Chaucer. [Not] that sweet grove Of Daphne, by Orontes and the inspired Castalian spring, might with this paradise Of Eden strive. Milton.

The timber of the tree Oreodaphne Leucoxylon, growing in Jamaica. The name is also applied to the timber of several other related trees.

A tasteless white crystalline substance, C9H6O3, found in the bark of a certain plant (Daphne Mezereum), and also obtained by the distillation of certain gums from the Umbelliferæ, as galbanum, asafetida, etc. It is analogous to coumarin. Called also hydroxy- coumarin.

from its habit of perching on trees. -- Wood laurel (Bot.), a European evergreen shrub (Daphne Laureola). -- Wood leopard (Zoöl.), a European spotted moth (Zeuzera æsculi) 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 th…