 |
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Mustard \Mus"tard\, noun [OF. moustarde, F. moutarde, fr. L. mustum must, -- mustard was prepared for use by being mixed with must. See {Must}, noun]
1. (Bot.) The name of several cruciferous plants of the genus {Brassica} (formerly {Sinapis}), as {white mustard} ({Brassica alba}), {black mustard} ({Brassica Nigra}), {wild mustard} or {charlock} ({Brassica Sinapistrum}).
Note: There are also many herbs of the same family which are called mustard, and have more or less of the flavor of the true mustard; as, bowyer's mustard ({Lepidium ruderale}); hedge mustard ({Sisymbrium officinale}); Mithridate mustard ({Thlaspi arvense}); tower mustard ({Arabis perfoliata}); treacle mustard ({Erysimum cheiranthoides}).
2. A powder or a paste made from the seeds of black or white mustard, used as a condiment and a rubefacient. Taken internally it is stimulant and diuretic, and in large doses is emetic.
{Mustard oil} (Chem.), a substance obtained from mustard, as a transparent, volatile and intensely pungent oil. The name is also extended to a number of analogous compounds produced either naturally or artificially.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
mustard
noun
1: any of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica
2: pungent powder or paste prepared from ground mustard seeds [syn: {table mustard}]
3: leaves eaten as cooked greens [syn: {mustard greens}, {leaf mustard}, {Indian mustard}]
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Mustard a plant of the genus sinapis, a pod-bearing, shrub-like plant, growing wild, and also cultivated in gardens. The little round seeds were an emblem of any small insignificant object. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament; and in each of the three instances of its occurrence in the New Testament (Matt. 13:31, 32; Mark 4:31, 32; Luke 13:18, 19) it is spoken of only with reference to the smallness of its seed. The common mustard of Palestine is the Sinapis nigra. This garden herb sometimes grows to a considerable height, so as to be spoken of as "a tree" as compared with garden herbs.
 |
Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |