Oak \Oak\ ([=o]k), n. [OE. oke, ok, ak, AS. [=a]c; akin to D.
eik, G. eiche, OHG. eih, Icel. eik, Sw. ek, Dan. eeg.]
1. (Bot.) Any tree or shrub of the genus Quercus. The oaks
have alternate leaves, often variously lobed, and
staminate flowers in catkins. The fruit is a smooth nut,
called an acorn, which is more or less inclosed in a
scaly involucre called the cup or cupule. There are now
recognized about three hundred species, of which nearly
fifty occur in the United States, the rest in Europe,
Asia, and the other parts of North America, a very few
barely reaching the northern parts of South America and
Africa. Many of the oaks form forest trees of grand
proportions and live many centuries. The wood is usually
hard and tough, and provided with conspicuous medullary
rays, forming the silver grain.
2. The strong wood or timber of the oak.
Note: Among the true oaks in America are:
Barren oak, or
Black-jack, Q. nigra.
Basket oak, Q. Michauxii.
Black oak, Q. tinctoria; -- called also yellow or
quercitron oak.
Bur oak (see under Bur.), Q. macrocarpa; -- called also
over-cup or mossy-cup oak.
Chestnut oak, Q. Prinus and Q. densiflora.
Chinquapin oak (see under Chinquapin), Q. prinoides.
Coast live oak, Q. agrifolia, of California; -- also
called enceno.
Live oak (see under Live), Q. virens, the best of all
for shipbuilding; also, Q. Chrysolepis, of California.
Pin oak. Same as Swamp oak.
Post oak, Q. obtusifolia.
Red oak, Q. rubra.
Scarlet oak, Q. coccinea.
Scrub oak, Q. ilicifolia, Q. undulata, etc.
Shingle oak, Q. imbricaria.
Spanish oak, Q. falcata.
Swamp Spanish oak, or
Pin oak, Q. palustris.
Swamp white oak, Q. bicolor.
Water oak, Q. aguatica.
Water white oak, Q. lyrata.
Willow oak, Q. Phellos. Among the true oaks in Europe
are:
Bitter oak, or
Turkey oak, Q. Cerris (see Cerris).
Cork oak, Q. Suber.
English white oak, Q. Robur.
Evergreen oak,
Holly oak, or
Holm oak, Q. Ilex.
Kermes oak, Q. coccifera.
Nutgall oak, Q. infectoria.
Note: Among plants called oak, but not of the genus
Quercus, are:
African oak, a valuable timber tree (Oldfieldia
Africana).
Australian, or She, oak, any tree of the genus
Casuarina (see Casuarina).
Indian oak, the teak tree (see Teak).
Jerusalem oak. See under Jerusalem.
New Zealand oak, a sapindaceous tree (Alectryon
excelsum).
Poison oak, the poison ivy. See under Poison.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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Turkey \Tur"key\, n. [Cf. 2d Turkey.]
An empire in the southeast of Europe and southwest of Asia.
Turkey carpet, a superior kind of carpet made in Asia Minor
and adjoining countries, having a deep pile and composed
of pure wool with a weft of different material. It is
distinguishable by its coloring and patterns from similar
carpets made in India and elsewhere.
Turkey oak. (Bot.) See Cerris.
Turkey red.
(a) A brilliant red imparted by madder to cottons, calicoes,
etc., the fiber of which has been prepared previously
with oil or other fatty matter.
(b) Cloth dyed with this red.
Turkey sponge. (Zo["o]l.) See Toilet sponge, under
Sponge.
Turkey stone, a kind of oilstone from Turkey; novaculite;
-- called also Turkey oilstone.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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