Turnsole

2 definitions found

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

  Turnsole \Turn"sole`\, n. [F. tournesol, It. tornasole; tornare
     to turn (LL. tornare) + sole the sun, L. sol. See {Turn},
     {Solar}, a., and cf. {Heliotrope}.] [Written also {turnsol}.]
     1. (Bot.)
        (a) A plant of the genus {Heliotropium}; heliotrope; -- so
            named because its flowers are supposed to turn toward


            the sun.
        (b) The sunflower.
        (c) A kind of spurge ({Euphorbia Helioscopia}).
        (d) The euphorbiaceous plant {Chrozophora tinctoria}.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Chem.)
        (a) Litmus. [Obs.]
        (b) A purple dye obtained from the plant turnsole. See
            def. 1
        (d) .
            [1913 Webster]

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

  Heliotrope \He"li*o*trope\, n. [F. h['e]liotrope, L.
     heliotropium, Gr. ?; ? the sun + ? to turn, ? turn. See
     {Heliacal}, {Trope}.]
     1. (Anc. Astron.) An instrument or machine for showing when
        the sun arrived at the tropics and equinoctial line.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Heliotropium}; -- called also
        {turnsole} and {girasole}. {Heliotropium Peruvianum} is
        the commonly cultivated species with fragrant flowers.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Geodesy & Signal Service) An instrument for making
        signals to an observer at a distance, by means of the
        sun's rays thrown from a mirror.
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     4. (Min.) See {Bloodstone}
        (a) .
            [1913 Webster]
  
     {Heliotrope purple}, a grayish purple color.
        [1913 Webster]