Straw | v. t. To spread or scatter. See Strew, and Strow. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ] | Straw | n. [ OE. straw, stre, stree, AS. streáw, from the root of E. strew; akin to OFries. strē, D. stroo, G. stroh, OHG. strō, Icel. strā, Dan. straa, Sw. strå. √166. See Strew. ] 1. A stalk or stem of certain species of grain, pulse, etc., especially of wheat, rye, oats, barley, more rarely of buckwheat, beans, and pease. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. The gathered and thrashed stalks of certain species of grain, etc.; as, a bundle, or a load, of rye straw. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing; a mere trifle. [ 1913 Webster ] I set not a straw by thy dreamings. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ Straw is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, straw-built, straw-crowned, straw-roofed, straw-stuffed, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ] Man of straw, an effigy formed by stuffing the garments of a man with straw; hence, a fictitious person; an irresponsible person; a puppet. -- Straw bail, worthless bail, as being given by irresponsible persons. [ Colloq. U.S. ] -- Straw bid, a worthless bid; a bid for a contract which the bidder is unable or unwilling to fulfill. [ Colloq. U.S. ] -- Straw cat (Zool.), the pampas cat. -- Straw color, the color of dry straw, being a delicate yellow. -- Straw drain, a drain filled with straw. -- Straw plait, or Straw plat, a strip formed by plaiting straws, used for making hats, bonnets, etc. -- To be in the straw, to be brought to bed, as a pregnant woman. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]
| Strawberry | n. [ AS. streáwberige; streáw straw + berie berry; perhaps from the resemblance of the runners of the plant to straws. ] (Bot.) A fragrant edible berry, of a delicious taste and commonly of a red color, the fruit of a plant of the genus Fragaria, of which there are many varieties. Also, the plant bearing the fruit. The common American strawberry is Fragaria virginiana; the European, Fragaria vesca. There are also other less common species. [ 1913 Webster ] Strawberry bass. (Zool.) See Calico bass, under Calico. -- Strawberry blite. (Bot.) See under Blite. -- Strawberry borer (Zool.), any one of several species of insects whose larvae burrow in the crown or roots of the strawberry vine. Especially: (a) The root borer (Anarsia lineatella), a very small dark gray moth whose larvae burrow both in the larger roots and crown, often doing great damage. (b) The crown borer (Tyloderma fragariae), a small brown weevil whose larva burrows in the crown and kills the plant. -- Strawberry bush (Bot.), an American shrub (Euonymus Americanus), a kind of spindle tree having crimson pods and the seeds covered with a scarlet aril. -- Strawberry crab (Zool.), a small European spider crab (Eurynome aspera); -- so called because the back is covered with pink tubercles. -- Strawberry fish (Zool.), the amadavat. -- Strawberry geranium (Bot.), a kind of saxifrage (Saxifraga sarmentosa) having reniform leaves, and producing long runners like those of the strawberry. -- Strawberry leaf. (a) The leaf of the strawberry. (b) The symbol of the rank or estate of a duke, because the ducal coronet is twined with strawberry leaves. “The strawberry leaves on her chariot panels are engraved on her ladyship's heart.” Thackeray. -- Strawberry-leaf roller (Zool.), any one of several species of moths whose larvae roll up, and feed upon, the leaves of the strawberry vine; especially, Phoxopteris fragariae, and Eccopsis permundana. -- Strawberry moth (Zool.), any one of several species of moth whose larvae feed on the strawberry vines; as: (a) The smeared dagger (Apatela oblinita), whose large hairy larva is velvety black with two rows of bright yellow spots on each side. (b) A geometrid (Angerona crocataria) which is yellow with dusky spots on the wings. Called also currant moth. -- Strawberry pear (Bot.), the red ovoid fruit of a West Indian plant of the genus Cereus (Cereus triangularia). It has a sweetish flavor, and is slightly acid, pleasant, and cooling. Also, the plant bearing the fruit. -- Strawberry sawfly (Zool.), a small black sawfly (Emphytus maculatus) whose larva eats the leaves of the strawberry vine. -- Strawberry tomato. (Bot.) See Alkekengi. -- Strawberry tree. (Bot.) See Arbutus. -- Strawberry vine (Bot.), the plant which yields the strawberry. -- Strawberry worm (Zool.), the larva of any moth which feeds on the strawberry vine. [ 1913 Webster ]
| Strawboard | n. Pasteboard made of pulp of straw. [ 1913 Webster ] | Straw-colored | a. Being of a straw color. See Straw color, under Straw, n. [ 1913 Webster ] | Straw-cutter | n. An instrument to cut straw for fodder. [ 1913 Webster ] | Strawed | imp. & p. p. of Straw. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] | Strawworm | n. A caddice worm. [ 1913 Webster ] | Strawy | a. Of or pertaining to straw; made of, or resembling, straw. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] |
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