Shad

2 definitions found

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

  Shad \Shad\ (sh[a^]d), n. sing. & pl. [AS. sceadda a kind of
     fish, akin to Prov. G. schade; cf. Ir. & Gael. sgadan a
     herring, W. ysgadan herrings; all perhaps akin to E. skate a
     fish.] (Zool.)
     Any one of several species of food fishes of the Herring
     family. The American species ({Alosa sapidissima} formerly


     {Clupea sapidissima}), which is abundant on the Atlantic
     coast and ascends the larger rivers in spring to spawn, is an
     important market fish. The European allice shad, or alose
     ({Alosa alosa} formerly {Clupea alosa}), and the twaite shad
     ({Alosa finta} formerly {Clupea finta}), are less important
     species. [Written also {chad}.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The name is loosely applied, also, to several other
           fishes, as the gizzard shad (see under {Gizzard}),
           called also {mud shad}, {white-eyed shad}, and {winter
           shad}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Hardboaded shad}, or {Yellow-tailed shad}, the menhaden.
  
     {Hickory shad}, or {Tailor shad}, the {mattowacca}.
  
     {Long-boned shad}, one of several species of important food
        fishes of the Bermudas and the West Indies, of the genus
        {Gerres}.
  
     {Shad bush} (Bot.), a name given to the North American shrubs
        or small trees of the rosaceous genus {Amelanchier}
        ({Amelanchier Canadensis}, and {Amelanchier alnifolia}).
        Their white racemose blossoms open in April or May, when
        the shad appear, and the edible berries (pomes) ripen in
        June or July, whence they are called {Juneberries}. The
        plant is also called {service tree}, and {Juneberry}.
  
     {Shad frog}, an American spotted frog ({Rana halecina}); --
        so called because it usually appears at the time when the
        shad begin to run in the rivers.
  
     {Trout shad}, the squeteague.
  
     {White shad}, the common shad.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  shad
       n 1: bony flesh of herring-like fish usually caught during their
            migration to fresh water for spawning; especially of
            Atlantic coast
       2: herring-like food fishes that migrate from the sea to
          freshwater to spawn