Oak apple

Oak apple
Oak Oak ([=o]k), n. [OE. oke, ok, ak, AS. [=a]c; akin to D. eik, G. eiche, OHG. eih, Icel. eik, Sw. ek, Dan. eeg.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Bot.) Any tree or shrub of the genus {Quercus}. The oaks have alternate leaves, often variously lobed, and staminate flowers in catkins. The fruit is a smooth nut, called an {acorn}, which is more or less inclosed in a scaly involucre called the cup or cupule. There are now recognized about three hundred species, of which nearly fifty occur in the United States, the rest in Europe, Asia, and the other parts of North America, a very few barely reaching the northern parts of South America and Africa. Many of the oaks form forest trees of grand proportions and live many centuries. The wood is usually hard and tough, and provided with conspicuous medullary rays, forming the silver grain. [1913 Webster]

2. The strong wood or timber of the oak. [1913 Webster]

Note: Among the true oaks in America are:

{Barren oak}, or

{Black-jack}, {Quercus nigra}.

{Basket oak}, {Quercus Michauxii}.

{Black oak}, {Quercus tinctoria}; -- called also {yellow oak} or {quercitron oak}.

{Bur oak} (see under {Bur}.), {Quercus macrocarpa}; -- called also {over-cup} or {mossy-cup oak}.

{Chestnut oak}, {Quercus Prinus} and {Quercus densiflora}.

{Chinquapin oak} (see under {Chinquapin}), {Quercus prinoides}.

{Coast live oak}, {Quercus agrifolia}, of California; -- also called {enceno}.

{Live oak} (see under {Live}), {Quercus virens}, the best of all for shipbuilding; also, {Quercus Chrysolepis}, of California.

{Pin oak}. Same as {Swamp oak}.

{Post oak}, {Quercus obtusifolia}.

{Red oak}, {Quercus rubra}.

{Scarlet oak}, {Quercus coccinea}.

{Scrub oak}, {Quercus ilicifolia}, {Quercus undulata}, etc.

{Shingle oak}, {Quercus imbricaria}.

{Spanish oak}, {Quercus falcata}.

{Swamp Spanish oak}, or

{Pin oak}, {Quercus palustris}.

{Swamp white oak}, {Quercus bicolor}.

{Water oak}, {Quercus aquatica}.

{Water white oak}, {Quercus lyrata}.

{Willow oak}, {Quercus Phellos}. [1913 Webster] Among the true oaks in Europe are:

{Bitter oak}, or

{Turkey oak}, {Quercus Cerris} (see {Cerris}).

{Cork oak}, {Quercus Suber}.

{English white oak}, {Quercus Robur}.

{Evergreen oak},

{Holly oak}, or

{Holm oak}, {Quercus Ilex}.

{Kermes oak}, {Quercus coccifera}.

{Nutgall oak}, {Quercus infectoria}. [1913 Webster]

Note: Among plants called oak, but not of the genus {Quercus}, are:

{African oak}, a valuable timber tree ({Oldfieldia Africana}).

{Australian oak} or {She oak}, any tree of the genus {Casuarina} (see {Casuarina}).

{Indian oak}, the teak tree (see {Teak}).

{Jerusalem oak}. See under {Jerusalem}.

{New Zealand oak}, a sapindaceous tree ({Alectryon excelsum}).

{Poison oak}, a shrub once not distinguished from poison ivy, but now restricted to {Rhus toxicodendron} or {Rhus diversiloba}.

{Silky oak} or {Silk-bark oak}, an Australian tree ({Grevillea robusta}). [1913 Webster]

{Green oak}, oak wood colored green by the growth of the mycelium of certain fungi.

{Oak apple}, a large, smooth, round gall produced on the leaves of the American red oak by a gallfly ({Cynips confluens}). It is green and pulpy when young.

{Oak beauty} (Zo["o]l.), a British geometrid moth ({Biston prodromaria}) whose larva feeds on the oak.

{Oak gall}, a gall found on the oak. See 2d {Gall}.

{Oak leather} (Bot.), the mycelium of a fungus which forms leatherlike patches in the fissures of oak wood.

{Oak pruner}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Pruner}, the insect.

{Oak spangle}, a kind of gall produced on the oak by the insect {Diplolepis lenticularis}.

{Oak wart}, a wartlike gall on the twigs of an oak.

{The Oaks}, one of the three great annual English horse races (the Derby and St. Leger being the others). It was instituted in 1779 by the Earl of Derby, and so called from his estate.

{To sport one's oak}, to be ``not at home to visitors,'' signified by closing the outer (oaken) door of one's rooms. [Cant, Eng. Univ.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • oak apple — oak ,apple noun count a lump on an oak tree caused by young insects …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • oak apple — ► NOUN ▪ a spongy spherical gall which forms on oak trees, caused by wasp larvae …   English terms dictionary

  • oak apple — n. an applelike gall on oak trees …   English World dictionary

  • Oak apple — An oak apple on a tree in Worcestershire, England Oak apple is the common name for a large, round, vaguely apple like gall commonly found on many species of oak. Oak apples range in size from 2 5cm. Oak apples are caused by chemicals injected by… …   Wikipedia

  • oak apple — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms oak apple : singular oak apple plural oak apples a lump on an oak tree caused by young insects …   English dictionary

  • Oak Apple Day — An oak apple in Worcestershire, England Also called Royal Oak Day Shick Shack Day Oak and Nettle Day Type Historical Date …   Wikipedia

  • Oak-apple Day — noun 29 May, the anniversary of the Restoration in 1660, when country boys used to wear oak apples in commemoration of Charles II hiding in the branches of an oak (the Royal Oak) from Cromwell s troopers after the Battle of Worcester • • • Main… …   Useful english dictionary

  • oak apple — oak′ ap ple n. ppa any of various rounded galls produced on oaks. Also called oak′ gall • Etymology: 1400–50 …   From formal English to slang

  • oak apple — noun oak gall Syn: oak gall …   Wiktionary

  • oak apple — noun Date: 15th century a large round gall produced on oak leaves and twigs by a gall wasp (especially Amphibolips confluenta) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”