Herb \Herb\ ([~e]rb or h[~e]rb; 277), n. [OE. herbe, erbe, OF.
herbe, erbe, F. herbe, L. herba; perh. akin to Gr. forbh`
food, pasture, fe`rbein to feed.]
1. A plant whose stem does not become woody and permanent,
but dies, at least down to the ground, after flowering.
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Note: Annual herbs live but one season; biennial herbs flower
the second season, and then die; perennial herbs
produce new stems year after year.
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2. Grass; herbage.
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And flocks
Grazing the tender herb. --Milton.
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Herb bennet. (Bot.) See Bennet.
Herb Christopher (Bot.), an herb (Act[ae]a spicata),
whose root is used in nervous diseases; the baneberry. The
name is occasionally given to other plants, as the royal
fern, the wood betony, etc.
Herb Gerard (Bot.), the goutweed; -- so called in honor of
St. Gerard, who used to be invoked against the gout. --Dr.
Prior.
Herb grace, or Herb of grace. (Bot.) See Rue.
Herb Margaret (Bot.), the daisy. See Marguerite.
Herb Paris (Bot.), an Old World plant related to the
trillium (Paris quadrifolia), commonly reputed
poisonous.
Herb Robert (Bot.), a species of Geranium (Geranium
Robertianum.)
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Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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