Word Meanings - OYSTER - Book Publishers vocabulary database

Any marine bivalve mollusk of the genus Ostrea. They are usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in brackish water in the mouth of rivers. The common European oyster , and the American oyster

Additional info about word: OYSTER

Any marine bivalve mollusk of the genus Ostrea. They are usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in brackish water in the mouth of rivers. The common European oyster , and the American oyster , are the most important species. 2. A name popularly given to the delicate morsel contained in a small cavity of the bone on each side of the lower part of the back of a fowl. Fresh-water oyster , any species of the genus Etheria, and allied genera, found in rivers of Africa and South America. They are irregular in form, and attach themselves to rocks like oysters, but they have a pearly interior, and are allied to the fresh-water mussels. -- Oyster bed, a breeding place for oysters; a place in a tidal river or other water on or near the seashore, where oysters are deposited to grow and fatten for market. See lst Scalp, n. -- Oyster catcher , any one of several species of wading birds of the genus Hæmatopus, which frequent seashores and feed upon shellfish. The European species , the common American species , and the California, or black, oyster catcher are the best known. -- Oyster crab a small crab which lives as a commensal in the gill cavity of the oyster. -- Oyster dredge, a rake or small dragnet of bringing up oyster from the bottom of the sea. -- Oyster fish. The tautog. The toadfish. -- Oyster plant. A plant of the genus Tragopogon (T. porrifolius), the root of which, when cooked, somewhat resembles the oyster in taste; salsify; -- called also vegetable oyster. A plant found on the seacoast of Northern Europe, America and Asia , the fresh leaves of which have a strong flavor of oysters. -- Oyster plover. Same as Oyster catcher, above. -- Oyster shell , the shell of an oyster. -- Oyster wench, Oyster wife, Oyster women, a women who deals in oysters. -- Pearl oyster. See under Pearl. -- Thorny oyster , any spiny marine shell of the genus Spondylus.

Related words: (words related to OYSTER)

• WATER-BEARER
  The constellation Aquarius.
• WATERWORT
  Any plant of the natural order Elatineæ, consisting of two genera , mostly small annual herbs growing in the edges of ponds. Some have a peppery or acrid taste.
• WATER SHREW
  Any one of several species of shrews having fringed feet and capable of swimming actively. The two common European species are the best known. The most common American water shrew, or marsh shrew , is rarely seen, owing to its nocturnal habits.
• WATER-TIGHT
  So tight as to retain, or not to admit, water; not leaky.
• WATER RAT
  The water vole. See under Vole. The muskrat. The beaver rat. See under Beaver. 2. A thief on the water; a pirate.
• MARINE
  Formed by the action of the currents or waves of the sea; as, marine deposits. Marine acid , hydrochloric acid. -- Marine barometer. See under Barometer. -- Marine corps, a corps formed of the officers, noncommissioned officers, privates, and
• WATER CRAKE
  The dipper. The spotted crake . See Illust. of Crake. The swamp hen, or crake, of Australia.
• WATER DOG
  A dog accustomed to the water, or trained to retrieve waterfowl. Retrievers, waters spaniels, and Newfoundland dogs are so trained.
• FOUNDATION
  The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course , under Base, n.) and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry. 4. A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution,
• WATER CLOCK
  An instrument or machine serving to measure time by the fall, or flow, of a certain quantity of water; a clepsydra.
• WATER SAIL
  A small sail sometimes set under a studding sail or under a driver boom, and reaching nearly to the water.
• FOUNDER
  One who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom anything originates; one who endows.
• OTHERGUISE; OTHERGUESS
  Of another kind or sort; in another way. "Otherguess arguments." Berkeley.
• WATERIE
  The pied wagtail; -- so called because it frequents ponds.
• OYSTERLING
  A young oyster.
• WATER BALLAST
  Water confined in specially constructed compartments in a vessel's hold, to serve as ballast.
• COMMONER
  1. One of the common people; one having no rank of nobility. All below them even their children, were commoners, and in the eye law equal to each other. Hallam. 2. A member of the House of Commons. 3. One who has a joint right in common ground.
• WATER RAM
  An hydraulic ram.
• WATER LINE
  Any one of certain lines of a vessel, model, or plan, parallel with the surface of the water at various heights from the keel. Note: In a half-breadth plan, the water lines are outward curves showing the horizontal form of the ship at their several
• WATER LOCUST
  A thorny leguminous tree which grows in the swamps of the Mississippi valley.
• NOTOTHERIUM
  An extinct genus of gigantic herbivorous marsupials, found in the Pliocene formation of Australia.
• UNCOMMON
  Not common; unusual; infrequent; rare; hence, remarkable; strange; as, an uncommon season; an uncommon degree of cold or heat; uncommon courage. Syn. -- Rare; scarce; infrequent; unwonted. -- Un*com"mon*ly, adv. -- Un*com"mon*ness, n.
• CONFOUNDED
  1. Confused; perplexed. A cloudy and confounded philosopher. Cudworth. 2. Excessive; extreme; abominable. He was a most confounded tory. Swift. The tongue of that confounded woman. Sir. W. Scott.
• REFIX
  To fix again or anew; to establish anew. Fuller.
• ISOGEOTHERMAL; ISOGEOTHERMIC
  Pertaining to, having the nature of, or marking, isogeotherms; as, an isogeothermal line or surface; as isogeothermal chart. -- n.
• SMOTHER
  Etym: 1. To destroy the life of by suffocation; to deprive of the air necessary for life; to cover up closely so as to prevent breathing; to suffocate; as, to smother a child. 2. To affect as by suffocation; to stife; to deprive of air by a thick
• ISOTHEROMBROSE
  A line connecting or marking points on the earth's surface, which have the same mean summer rainfall.
• AFFIX
  figere to fasten: cf. OE. affichen, F. afficher, ultimately fr. L. 1. To subjoin, annex, or add at the close or end; to append to; to fix to any part of; as, to affix a syllable to a word; to affix a seal to an instrument; to affix one's name to
• FELLOW-COMMONER
  A student at Cambridge University, England, who commons, or dines, at the Fellow's table.
• DEFIX
  To fix; to fasten; to establish. "To defix their princely seat . . . in that extreme province." Hakluyt.
• INTERCOMMON
  To graze cattle promiscuously in the commons of each other, as the inhabitants of adjoining townships, manors, etc. (more info) 1. To share with others; to participate; especially, to eat at the same table. Bacon.
• ROYSTER; ROYSTERER
  same as Roister, Roisterer.