Saffron

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Saffron \Saf"fron\ (?; 277), a.
     Having the color of the stigmas of saffron flowers; deep
     orange-yellow; as, a saffron face; a saffron streamer.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:



  Saffron \Saf"fron\, v. t.
     To give color and flavor to, as by means of saffron; to
     spice. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
           And in Latyn I speak a wordes few,
           To saffron with my predication.          --Chaucer.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Saffron \Saf"fron\ (?; 277), n. [OE. saffran, F. safran; cf. It.
     zafferano, Sp. azafran, Pg. a[,c]afr[~a]o; all fr. Ar. & Per.
     za' far[=a]n.]
     1. (Bot.) A bulbous iridaceous plant ({Crocus sativus})
        having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See
        {Crocus}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The aromatic, pungent, dried stigmas, usually with part of
        the stile, of the {Crocus sativus}. Saffron is used in
        cookery, and in coloring confectionery, liquors,
        varnishes, etc., and was formerly much used in medicine.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas
        of the {Crocus sativus}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Bastard saffron}, {Dyer's saffron}. (Bot.) See {Safflower}.
        
  
     {Meadow saffron} (Bot.), a bulbous plant ({Colchichum
        autumnale}) of Europe, resembling saffron.
  
     {Saffron wood} (Bot.), the yellowish wood of a South African
        tree ({Elaeodendron croceum}); also, the tree itself.
  
     {Saffron yellow}, a shade of yellow like that obtained from
        the stigmas of the true saffron ({Crocus sativus}).
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  saffron
       n 1: Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with
            aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
            [syn: {saffron crocus}, {Crocus sativus}]
       2: dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus
       3: a shade of yellow tinged with orange [syn: {orange yellow}]

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Saffron
     Heb. karkom, Arab. zafran (i.e., "yellow"), mentioned only in
     Cant. 4:13, 14; the Crocus sativus. Many species of the crocus
     are found in Palestine. The pistils and stigmata, from the
     centre of its flowers, are pressed into "saffron cakes," common
     in the East. "We found," says Tristram, "saffron a very useful
     condiment in travelling cookery, a very small pinch of it giving
     not only a rich yellow colour but an agreable flavour to a dish
     of rice or to an insipid stew."