hessian

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Hessian boots, or Hessians, boot of a kind worn in England, in the early part of the nineteenth century, tasseled in front. --Thackeray.

Hessian cloth, or Hessians, a coarse hempen cloth for sacking.

Hessian crucible. See under Crucible.

Hessian fly (Zool.), a small dipterous fly or midge (Cecidomyia destructor). Its larv[ae] live between the base of the lower leaves and the stalk of wheat, and are very destructive to young wheat; -- so called from the erroneous idea that it was brought into America by the Hessian troops, during the Revolution. [1913 Webster]

1.A native or inhabitant of Hesse. [1913 Webster]

2.A mercenary or venal person. [U. S.] [1913 Webster]

Note: This use is a relic of the patriot hatred of the Hessian mercenaries who served with the British troops in the Revolutionary War. [1913 Webster]

3.pl. See Hessian boots and cloth, under Hessian, a. [1913 Webster]