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It is not only important, but, in a degree necessary, that the people of this country, should have an American Dictionary of the English language; for, although the body of the language is the same as in England, and it is desirable to perpetuate that sameness, yet some differences must exist. Language is the expression of ideas; and if the people of one country cannot preserve an identity of ideas, they cannot retain an identity of language. |
CHERRY, n. The fruit of a tree, a species of Prunus, of which there are many varieties, as the red or garden cherry, the red heart, the white heart, the black cherry, the black heart, and several others. The fruit is a pulp inclosing a kernel. It is related that this fruit was brought from Cerasus in Pontus to Italy, after the defeat of Mithridates by Lucullus, A R. 680., and introduced into England by the Romans, about 120 years afterwards, A.D. 55.
CHERRY, a. Like a red cherry in color; red, ruddy, blooming; as a cherry lip; cherry cheeks.
CHERRY, n. A cordial composed of cherry juice and spirit, sweetened, and diluted. The wild cherry is most generally used for this purpose, being steeped for some days in spirit, which extracts the juice of the fruit; the tincture is then sweetened and diluted to the taste. This cordial is moderately bitter and astringent. It is sometimes made of the mazzard.
A tree or shrub of the
genus Prunus (Which also includes the plum) bearing a
fleshy drupe with a bony stone;
The fruit of the cherry tree, a drupe
of various colors and flavors.
The timber of the cherry tree, esp. of
the black cherry, used in cabinetmaking, etc.
A peculiar shade of red, like that of
a cherry.
Barbadoes cherry. See under
Barbadoes. -- Cherry bird
(Zoöl.), an American bird; the cedar bird; -- so
called from its fondness for cherries. -- Cherry
bounce, cherry brandy and sugar. --
Cherry brandy, brandy in which cherries
have been steeped. -- Cherry laurel
(Bot.), an evergreen shrub (Prunus Lauro-
cerasus) common in shrubberies, the poisonous leaves of which
have a flavor like that of bitter almonds. -- Cherry
pepper (Bot.), a species of Capsicum
(C. cerasiforme), with small, scarlet, intensely piquant
cherry-shaped fruit. -- Cherry pit.
Like a red cherry in color; ruddy; blooming; as, a
cherry lip; cherry cheeks.
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