1.
[syn: giant salamander, Megalobatrachus maximus]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Giant \Gi"ant\, a.
Like a giant; extraordinary in size, strength, or power; as,
giant brothers; a giant son.
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Giant cell. (Anat.) See Myeloplax.
Giant clam (Zool.), a bivalve shell of the genus
Tridacna, esp. T. gigas, which sometimes weighs 500
pounds. The shells are sometimes used in churches to
contain holy water.
Giant heron (Zool.), a very large African heron (Ardeomega
goliath). It is the largest heron known.
Giant kettle, a pothole of very large dimensions, as found
in Norway in connection with glaciers. See Pothole.
Giant powder. See Nitroglycerin.
Giant puffball (Bot.), a fungus (Lycoperdon giganteum),
edible when young, and when dried used for stanching
wounds.
Giant salamander (Zool.), a very large aquatic salamander
(Megalobatrachus maximus), found in Japan. It is the
largest of living Amphibia, becoming a yard long.
Giant squid (Zool.), one of several species of very large
squids, belonging to Architeuthis and allied genera.
Some are over forty feet long.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Salamander \Sal"a*man`der\, n. [F. salamandre, L. salamandra,
Gr. ?; cf. Per. samander, samandel.]
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of Urodela, belonging
to Salamandra, Amblystoma, Plethodon, and various
allied genera, especially those that are more or less
terrestrial in their habits.
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Note: The salamanders have, like lizards, an elongated body,
four feet, and a long tail, but are destitute of
scales. They are true Amphibia, related to the frogs.
Formerly, it was a superstition that the salamander
could live in fire without harm, and even extinguish it
by the natural coldness of its body.
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I have maintained that salamander of yours with
fire any time this two and thirty years. --Shak.
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Whereas it is commonly said that a salamander
extinguisheth fire, we have found by experience
that on hot coals, it dieth immediately. --Sir T.
Browne.
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2. (Zool.) The pouched gopher (Geomys tuza) of the Southern
United States.
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3. A culinary utensil of metal with a plate or disk which is
heated, and held over pastry, etc., to brown it.
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4. A large poker. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
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5. (Metal.) Solidified material in a furnace hearth.
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Giant salamander. (Zool.) See under Giant.
Salamander's hair or Salamander's wool (Min.), a species
of asbestos or mineral flax. [Obs.] --Bacon.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
giant salamander
n 1: large (up to more than three feet) edible salamander of
Asia [syn: giant salamander, Megalobatrachus maximus]