The Language Bin: On-line Dictionary


Look for:
Search type:
Dictionary:


3 definitions found
From WordNet 1.6 :

  lady crab
    n  : brightly spotted crab of sandy beaches of the United States
         Atlantic coast
         [syn: American lady crab, calico crab, Ovalipes ocellatus]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :

  Lady \La"dy\, n.; pl. Ladies. [OE. ladi, l[ae]fdi, AS.
     hl?fdige, hl?fdie; AS. hl[=a]f loaf + a root of uncertain
     origin, possibly akin to E. dairy. See Loaf, and cf.
     Lord.]
     1. A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family;
        a mistress; the female head of a household.
  
              Agar, the handmaiden of Sara, whence comest thou,
              and whither goest thou? The which answered, Fro the
              face of Sara my lady.                 --Wyclif (Gen.
                                                    xvi. 8.).
  
     2. A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress;
        -- a feminine correlative of lord. ``Lord or lady of high
        degree.'' --Lowell.
  
              Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, .
              . . We make thee lady.                --Shak.
  
     3. A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was
        paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a
        sweetheart.
  
              The soldier here his wasted store supplies, And
              takes new valor from his lady's eyes. --Waller.
  
     4. A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a
        title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is
        not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a
        nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or
        knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by
        right.
  
     5. A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman;
        -- the feminine correlative of gentleman.
  
     6. A wife; -- not now in approved usage. --Goldsmith.
  
     7. (Zo["o]l.) The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a
        lobster; -- so called from a fancied resemblance to a
        seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates.
  
     Ladies' man, a man who affects the society of ladies.
  
     Lady altar, an altar in a lady chapel. --Shipley.
  
     Lady chapel, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
  
     Lady court, the court of a lady of the manor.
  
     Lady court, the court of a lady of the manor.
  
     Lady crab (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely spotted swimming crab
        ({Platyonichus ocellatus) very common on the sandy shores
        of the Atlantic coast of the United States.
  
     Lady fern. (Bot.) See Female fern, under Female, and
        Illust. of Fern.
  
     Lady in waiting, a lady of the queen's household, appointed
        to wait upon or attend the queen.
  
     Lady Mass, a Mass said in honor of the Virgin Mary.
        --Shipley.
  
     Lady of the manor, a lady having jurisdiction of a manor;
        also, the wife of a manor lord.
  
     Lady's maid, a maidservant who dresses and waits upon a
        lady. --Thackeray.
  
     Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :

  Velvet \Vel"vet\, n. [OE. velouette, veluet, velwet; cf. OF.
     velluau, LL. velluetum, vellutum, It. velluto, Sp. velludo;
     all fr. (assumed) LL. villutus shaggy, fr L. villus shaggy
     hair; akin to vellus a fleece, and E. wool. See Wool, and
     cf. Villous.]
     1. A silk fabric, having a short, close nap of erect threads.
        Inferior qualities are made with a silk pile on a cotton
        or linen back.
  
     2. The soft and highly vascular deciduous skin which envelops
        and nourishes the antlers of deer during their rapid
        growth.
  
     Cotton velvet, an imitation of velvet, made of cotton.
  
     Velvet cork, the best kind of cork bark, supple, elastic,
        and not woody or porous.
  
     Velvet crab a European crab ({Portunus puber). When adult
        the black carapace is covered with a velvety pile. Called
        also lady crab, and velvet fiddler.
  
     Velvet dock (Bot.), the common mullein.
  
     Velvet duck. (Zo["o]l.)
        (a) A large European sea duck, or scoter ({Oidemia
            fusca). The adult male is glossy, velvety black, with
            a white speculum on each wing, and a white patch
            behind each eye.
        (b) The American whitewinged scoter. See Scoter.
  
     Velvet flower (Bot.), love-lies-bleeding. See under Love.
        
  
     Velvet grass (Bot.), a tall grass ({Holcus lanatus) with
        velvety stem and leaves; -- called also soft grass.
  
     Velvet runner (Zo["o]l.), the water rail; -- so called from
        its quiet, stealthy manner of running. [Prov. Eng.]
  
     Velvet scoter. (Zo["o]l.) Same as Velvet duck, above.
  
     Velvet sponge. (Zo["o]l.) See under Sponge.

Search the Web