Dolphin

4 definitions found

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

  dolphin \dol"phin\ (d[o^]l"f[i^]n), n. [F. dauphin dolphin,
     dauphin, earlier spelt also doffin; cf. OF. dalphinal of the
     dauphin; fr. L. delphinus, Gr. delfi`s a dolphin (in senses
     1, 2, 3, & 6), perh. properly, belly fish; cf. delfy`s womb,
     Skr. garbha; perh. akin to E. calf. Cf. {Dauphin},
     {Delphine}.]


     1. (Zool.) A cetacean of the genus {Delphinus} and allied
        genera (esp. {Delphinus delphis}); the true dolphin.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The dolphin of the ancients ({Delphinus delphis}) is
           common in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and attains a
           length of from six to eight feet.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) The {Coryph[ae]na hippuris}, a fish of about five
        feet in length, celebrated for its surprising changes of
        color when dying. It is the fish commonly known as the
        dolphin. The term is also applied to the related
        {Coryphaena equisetis}. Called also {dolphinfish} and
        (especially in Hawaii) {mahimahi}. See also {dolphinfish}
        and {Coryph[ae]noid}.
  
     Syn: dolphinfish, mahimahi.
          [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     3. [Gr. delfi`s] (Gr. Antiq.) A mass of iron or lead hung
        from the yardarm, in readiness to be dropped on the deck
        of an enemy's vessel.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Naut.)
        (a) A kind of wreath or strap of plaited cordage.
        (b) A spar or buoy held by an anchor and furnished with a
            ring to which ships may fasten their cables. --R. H.
            Dana.
        (c) A mooring post on a wharf or beach.
        (d) A permanent fender around a heavy boat just below the
            gunwale. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Gun.) In old ordnance, one of the handles above the
        trunnions by which a cannon was lifted.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. (Astron.) A small constellation between Aquila and
        Pegasus. See {Delphinus}, n., 2.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Dolphin fly} (Zool.), the black, bean, or collier, Aphis
        ({Aphis fable}), destructive to beans.
  
     {Dolphin striker} (Naut.), a short vertical spar under the
        bowsprit.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  dolphin
       n 1: large slender food and game fish widely distributed in warm
            seas (especially around Hawaii) [syn: {dolphinfish}, {mahimahi}]
       2: any of various small toothed whales with a beaklike snout;
          larger than porpoises

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  34 Moby Thesaurus words for "dolphin":
     Chiroptera, Lagomorpha, Loch Ness monster, Primates, Rodentia,
     alevin, benthon, benthos, cetacean, fingerling, fish, fry,
     game fish, grilse, kipper, man-eater, man-eating shark,
     marine animal, minnow, minny, nekton, panfish, plankton, porpoise,
     salmon, sea monster, sea pig, sea serpent, sea snake, shark, smolt,
     sponge, tropical fish, whale
  
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Dolphin, VA
    Zip code(s): 23843