'Laurus nobilis' definitions:

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

noun

Small Mediterranean evergreen tree with small blackish berries and glossy aromatic leaves used for flavoring in cooking; also used by ancient Greeks to crown victors [syn: true laurel, bay, bay laurel, bay tree, Laurus nobilis]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Sweet \Sweet\, a. [Compar. Sweeter; superl. Sweetest.] [OE. swete, swote, sote, AS. sw[=e]te; akin to OFries. sw[=e]te, OS. sw[=o]ti, D. zoet, G. s["u]ss, OHG. suozi, Icel. saetr, soetr, Sw. s["o]t, Dan. s["o]d, Goth. suts, L. suavis, for suadvis, Gr. ?, Skr. sv[=a]du sweet, svad, sv[=a]d, to sweeten. [root]175. Cf. Assuage, Suave, Suasion.]
1. Having an agreeable taste or flavor such as that of sugar; saccharine; -- opposed to sour and bitter; as, a sweet beverage; sweet fruits; sweet oranges. [1913 Webster]
2. Pleasing to the smell; fragrant; redolent; balmy; as, a sweet rose; sweet odor; sweet incense. [1913 Webster]
The breath of these flowers is sweet to me. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]
3. Pleasing to the ear; soft; melodious; harmonious; as, the sweet notes of a flute or an organ; sweet music; a sweet voice; a sweet singer. [1913 Webster]
To make his English sweet upon his tongue. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
A voice sweet, tremulous, but powerful. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster]
4. Pleasing to the eye; beautiful; mild and attractive; fair; as, a sweet face; a sweet color or complexion. [1913 Webster]
Sweet interchange Of hill and valley, rivers, woods, and plains. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
5. Fresh; not salt or brackish; as, sweet water. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
6. Not changed from a sound or wholesome state. Specifically: (a) Not sour; as, sweet milk or bread. (b) Not state; not putrescent or putrid; not rancid; as, sweet butter; sweet meat or fish. [1913 Webster]
7. Plaesing to the mind; mild; gentle; calm; amiable; winning; presuasive; as, sweet manners. [1913 Webster]
Canst thou bind the sweet influence of Pleiades? --Job xxxviii. 31. [1913 Webster]
Mildness and sweet reasonableness is the one established rule of Christian working. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]
Note: Sweet is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, sweet-blossomed, sweet-featured, sweet-smelling, sweet-tempered, sweet-toned, etc. [1913 Webster]
Sweet alyssum. (Bot.) See Alyssum.
Sweet apple. (Bot.) (a) Any apple of sweet flavor. (b) See Sweet-sop.
Sweet bay. (Bot.) (a) The laurel (Laurus nobilis). (b) Swamp sassafras.
Sweet calabash (Bot.), a plant of the genus Passiflora (Passiflora maliformis) growing in the West Indies, and producing a roundish, edible fruit, the size of an apple.
Sweet cicely. (Bot.) (a) Either of the North American plants of the umbelliferous genus Osmorrhiza having aromatic roots and seeds, and white flowers. --Gray. (b) A plant of the genus Myrrhis (Myrrhis odorata) growing in England.
Sweet calamus, or Sweet cane. (Bot.) Same as {Sweet flag}, below.
Sweet Cistus (Bot.), an evergreen shrub (Cistus Ladanum) from which the gum ladanum is obtained.
Sweet clover. (Bot.) See Melilot.
Sweet coltsfoot (Bot.), a kind of butterbur ({Petasites sagittata}) found in Western North America.
Sweet corn (Bot.), a variety of the maize of a sweet taste. See the Note under Corn.
Sweet fern (Bot.), a small North American shrub ({Comptonia asplenifolia} syn. Myrica asplenifolia) having sweet-scented or aromatic leaves resembling fern leaves.
Sweet flag (Bot.), an endogenous plant (Acorus Calamus) having long flaglike leaves and a rootstock of a pungent aromatic taste. It is found in wet places in Europe and America. See Calamus, 2.
Sweet gale (Bot.), a shrub (Myrica Gale) having bitter fragrant leaves; -- also called sweet willow, and {Dutch myrtle}. See 5th Gale.
Sweet grass (Bot.), holy, or Seneca, grass.
Sweet gum (Bot.), an American tree ({Liquidambar styraciflua}). See Liquidambar.
Sweet herbs, fragrant herbs cultivated for culinary purposes.
Sweet John (Bot.), a variety of the sweet William.
Sweet leaf (Bot.), horse sugar. See under Horse.
Sweet marjoram. (Bot.) See Marjoram.
Sweet marten (Zool.), the pine marten.
Sweet maudlin (Bot.), a composite plant ({Achillea Ageratum}) allied to milfoil.
Sweet oil, olive oil.
Sweet pea. (Bot.) See under Pea.
Sweet potato. (Bot.) See under Potato.
Sweet rush (Bot.), sweet flag.
Sweet spirits of niter (Med. Chem.) See {Spirit of nitrous ether}, under Spirit.
Sweet sultan (Bot.), an annual composite plant ({Centaurea moschata}), also, the yellow-flowered ({Centaurea odorata}); -- called also sultan flower.
Sweet tooth, an especial fondness for sweet things or for sweetmeats. [Colloq.]
Sweet William. (a) (Bot.) A species of pink (Dianthus barbatus) of many varieties. (b) (Zool.) The willow warbler. (c) (Zool.) The European goldfinch; -- called also {sweet Billy}. [Prov. Eng.]
Sweet willow (Bot.), sweet gale.
Sweet wine. See Dry wine, under Dry.
To be sweet on, to have a particular fondness for, or special interest in, as a young man for a young woman. [Colloq.] --Thackeray. [1913 Webster]
Syn: Sugary; saccharine; dulcet; luscious. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Sweetwood \Sweet"wood`\, n. (Bot.) (a) The true laurel (Laurus nobilis.) (b) The timber of the tree Oreodaphne Leucoxylon, growing in Jamaica. The name is also applied to the timber of several other related trees. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Lauric \Lau"ric\, a.
1. Pertaining to, or derived from, the European bay or laurel (Laurus nobilis). [1913 Webster]
2. pertaining to or combined with lauric acid, the 12-carbon member of the fatty acid series; combined with the acyl group of lauric acid. [PJC]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Laurel \Lau"rel\, n. [OE. lorel, laurer, lorer, OF. lorier, laurier, F. laurier, (assumed) LL. Laurarius, fr. L. laurus.]
1. (Bot.) An evergreen shrub, of the genus Laurus ({Laurus nobilis}), having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape, with clusters of small, yellowish white flowers in their axils; -- called also sweet bay.
Note: The fruit is a purple berry. It is found about the Mediterranean, and was early used by the ancient Greeks to crown the victor in the games of Apollo. At a later period, academic honors were indicated by a crown of laurel, with the fruit. The leaves and tree yield an aromatic oil, used to flavor the bay water of commerce. [1913 Webster]
Note: The name is extended to other plants which in some respect resemble the true laurel. See Phrases, below. [1913 Webster]
2. A crown of laurel; hence, honor; distinction; fame; -- especially in the plural; as, to win laurels. [1913 Webster]
3. An English gold coin made in 1619, and so called because the king's head on it was crowned with laurel. [1913 Webster]
Laurel water, water distilled from the fresh leaves of the cherry laurel, and containing prussic acid and other products carried over in the process. [1913 Webster]
American laurel, or Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia; called also calico bush. See under Mountain.
California laurel, Umbellularia Californica.
Cherry laurel (in England called laurel). See under Cherry.
Great laurel, the rosebay (Rhododendron maximum).
Ground laurel, trailing arbutus.
New Zealand laurel, the Laurelia Nov[ae] Zelandi[ae].
Portugal laurel, the Prunus Lusitanica.
Rose laurel, the oleander. See Oleander.
Sheep laurel, a poisonous shrub, Kalmia angustifolia, smaller than the mountain laurel, and with smaller and redder flowers.
Spurge laurel, Daphne Laureola.
West Indian laurel, Prunus occidentalis. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Laurin \Lau"rin\, n. [Cf. F. laurine.] (Chem.) A white crystalline substance extracted from the fruit of the bay (Laurus nobilis), and consisting of a complex mixture of glycerin ethers of several organic acids. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Laurus \Lau"rus\, n. [L., laurel.] (Bot.) A genus of trees including, according to modern authors, only the true laurel (Laurus nobilis), and the larger {Laurus Canariensis} of Madeira and the Canary Islands. Formerly the sassafras, the camphor tree, the cinnamon tree, and several other aromatic trees and shrubs, were also referred to the genus Laurus. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Royal \Roy"al\, a. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F. royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See Rich, and cf. regal, real a coin, Rial.]
1. Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state. [1913 Webster]
2. Noble; generous; magnificent; princely. [1913 Webster]
How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio? --Shak. [1913 Webster]
3. Under the patronage of royality; holding a charter granted by the sovereign; as, the Royal Academy of Arts; the Royal Society. [1913 Webster]
Battle royal. See under Battle.
Royal bay (Bot.), the classic laurel (Laurus nobilis.)
Royal eagle. (Zool.) See Golden eagle, under Golden.
Royal fern (Bot.), the handsome fern Osmunda regalis. See Osmund.
Royal mast (Naut.), the mast next above the topgallant mast and usually the highest on a square-rigged vessel. The royal yard and royal sail are attached to the royal mast.
Royal metal, an old name for gold.
Royal palm (Bot.), a magnificent West Indian palm tree (Oreodoxa regia), lately discovered also in Florida.
Royal pheasant. See Curassow.
Royal purple, an intense violet color, verging toward blue.
Royal tern (Zool.), a large, crested American tern ({Sterna maxima}).
Royal tiger. (Zool.) See Tiger.
Royal touch, the touching of a diseased person by the hand of a king, with the view of restoring to health; -- formerly extensively practiced, particularly for the scrofula, or king's evil. [1913 Webster]
Syn: Kingly; regal; monarchical; imperial; kinglike; princely; august; majestic; superb; splendid; illustrious; noble; magnanimous. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Bay \Bay\, n. [F. baie a berry, the fruit of the laurel and other trees, fr. L. baca, bacca, a small round fruit, a berry, akin to Lith. bapka laurel berry.]
1. A berry, particularly of the laurel. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
2. The laurel tree (Laurus nobilis). Hence, in the plural, an honorary garland or crown bestowed as a prize for victory or excellence, anciently made or consisting of branches of the laurel. [1913 Webster]
The patriot's honors and the poet's bays. --Trumbull. [1913 Webster]
3. A tract covered with bay trees. [Local, U. S.] [1913 Webster]
Bay leaf, the leaf of the bay tree (Laurus nobilis). It has a fragrant odor and an aromatic taste, and is used for flavoring in food. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Bay \Bay\, n. [F. baie a berry, the fruit of the laurel and other trees, fr. L. baca, bacca, a small round fruit, a berry, akin to Lith. bapka laurel berry.]
1. A berry, particularly of the laurel. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
2. The laurel tree (Laurus nobilis). Hence, in the plural, an honorary garland or crown bestowed as a prize for victory or excellence, anciently made or consisting of branches of the laurel. [1913 Webster]
The patriot's honors and the poet's bays. --Trumbull. [1913 Webster]
3. A tract covered with bay trees. [Local, U. S.] [1913 Webster]
Bay leaf, the leaf of the bay tree (Laurus nobilis). It has a fragrant odor and an aromatic taste, and is used for flavoring in food. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Bayberry \Bay"ber*ry\, n. (Bot.) (a) The fruit of the bay tree or Laurus nobilis. (b) A tree of the West Indies related to the myrtle ({Pimenta acris}). (c) The fruit of Myrica cerifera (wax myrtle); the shrub itself; -- called also candleberry tree. [1913 Webster]
Bayberry tallow, a fragrant green wax obtained from the bayberry or wax myrtle; -- called also myrtle wax. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Laurus nobilis'

From: GCIDE

Bay tree \Bay" tree`\ A species of laurel. (Laurus nobilis). [1913 Webster]