The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Pearl \Pearl\, n. [OE. perle, F. perle, LL. perla, perula,
probably fr. (assumed) L. pirulo, dim. of L. pirum a pear.
See Pear, and cf. Purl to mantle.]
1. (Zool.) A shelly concretion, usually rounded, and having a
brilliant luster, with varying tints, found in the mantle,
or between the mantle and shell, of certain bivalve
mollusks, especially in the pearl oysters and river
mussels, and sometimes in certain univalves. It is usually
due to a secretion of shelly substance around some
irritating foreign particle. Its substance is the same as
nacre, or mother-of-pearl.
Note: Pearls which are round, or nearly round, and of fine
luster, are highly esteemed as jewels, and at one time
compared in value with the precious stones. Since
development of cultured pearls, the relative value has
diminished somewhat, though the best pearls are still
expensive, and natural pearls even more so. Artificial
pearls may be made of various materials, including
material similar to that of natural pearls; these are
less expensive than natural or cultured pearls. See
cultured pearl, below.
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2. Hence, figuratively, something resembling a pearl;
something very precious.
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I see thee compassed with thy kingdom's pearl.
--Shak.
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And those pearls of dew she wears. --Milton.
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3. Nacre, or mother-of-pearl.
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4. (Zool.) A fish allied to the turbot; the brill.
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5. (Zool.) A light-colored tern.
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6. (Zool.) One of the circle of tubercles which form the bur
on a deer's antler.
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7. A whitish speck or film on the eye. [Obs.] --Milton.
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8. A capsule of gelatin or similar substance containing some
liquid for medicinal application, as ether.
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9. (Print.) A size of type, between agate and diamond.
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Ground pearl. (Zool.) See under Ground.
Pearl barley, kernels of barley, ground so as to form
small, round grains.
Pearl diver, one who dives for pearl oysters.
Pearl edge, an edge of small loops on the side of some
kinds of ribbon; also, a narrow kind of thread edging to
be sewed on lace.
Pearl eye, cataract. [R.]
Pearl gray, a very pale and delicate blue-gray color.
Pearl millet, Egyptian millet (Penicillaria spicata).
Pearl moss. See Carrageen.
Pearl moth (Zool.), any moth of the genus Margaritia; --
so called on account of its pearly color.
Pearl oyster (Zool.), any one of several species of large
tropical marine bivalve mollusks of the genus
Meleagrina, or Margaritifera, found in the East Indies
(especially at Ceylon), in the Persian Gulf, on the coast
of Australia, and on the Pacific coast of America. Called
also pearl shell, and pearl mussel.
Pearl powder. See Pearl white, below.
Pearl sago, sago in the form of small pearly grains.
Pearl sinter (Min.), fiorite.
Pearl spar (Min.), a crystallized variety of dolomite,
having a pearly luster.
Pearl white.
(a) Basic bismuth nitrate, or bismuth subchloride; -- used
chiefly as a cosmetic.
(b) A variety of white lead blued with indigo or Berlin
blue.
cultured pearl, a pearl grown by a pearl oyster into which
a round pellet has been placed, to serve as the seed for
more predictable growth of the pearl. The pellet is
usually made from mother-of-pearl, and additional layers
of nacre are deposited onto the seed by the oyster. Such
pearls, being more easily obtained than natural pearls
from wild oysters, are less expensive.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
millet \mil"let\ (m[i^]l"l[e^]t), n. [F., dim. of mil, L.
milium; akin to Gr. meli`nh, AS. mil.] (Bot.)
The name of several cereal and forage grasses which bear an
abundance of small roundish grains. The common millets of
Germany and Southern Europe are Panicum miliaceum, and
Setaria Italica.
Note:
Arabian millet is Sorghum Halepense.
Egyptian millet or
East Indian millet is Penicillaria spicata.
Indian millet is Sorghum vulgare. (See under Indian.)
Italian millet is Setaria Italica, a coarse, rank-growing
annual grass, valuable for fodder when cut young, and
bearing nutritive seeds; -- called also Hungarian grass.
Texas millet is Panicum Texanum.
Wild millet, or
Millet grass, is Milium effusum, a tall grass growing in
woods.
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