Follicles

1 definition found

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

  Fruit \Fruit\, n. [OE. fruit, frut, F. fruit, from L. fructus
     enjoyment, product, fruit, from frui, p. p. fructus, to
     enjoy; akin to E. brook, v. t. See {Brook}, v. t., and cf.
     {Fructify}, {Frugal}.]
     1. Whatever is produced for the nourishment or enjoyment of
        man or animals by the processes of vegetable growth, as


        corn, grass, cotton, flax, etc.; -- commonly used in the
        plural.
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              Six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather
              in the
              fruits thereof.                       --Ex. xxiii.
                                                    10.
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     2. (Hort.) The pulpy, edible seed vessels of certain plants,
        especially those grown on branches above ground, as
        apples, oranges, grapes, melons, berries, etc. See 3.
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     3. (Bot.) The ripened ovary of a flowering plant, with its
        contents and whatever parts are consolidated with it.
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     Note: Fruits are classified as fleshy, drupaceous, and dry.
           {Fleshy fruits} include berries, gourds, and melons,
           orangelike fruits and pomes; {drupaceous fruits} are
           stony within and fleshy without, as peaches, plums, and
           cherries; and {dry fruits} are further divided into
           {achenes}, {follicles}, {legumes}, {capsules}, {nuts},
           and several other kinds.
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     4. (Bot.) The spore cases or conceptacles of flowerless
        plants, as of ferns, mosses, algae, etc., with the spores
        contained in them.
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     6. The produce of animals; offspring; young; as, the fruit of
        the womb, of the loins, of the body.
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              King Edward's fruit, true heir to the English crown.
                                                    --Shak.
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     6. That which is produced; the effect or consequence of any
        action; advantageous or desirable product or result;
        disadvantageous or evil consequence or effect; as, the
        fruits of labor, of self-denial, of intemperance.
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              The fruit of rashness.                --Shak.
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              What I obtained was the fruit of no bargain.
                                                    --Burke.
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              They shall eat the fruit of their doings. --Is. iii
                                                    10.
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              The fruits of this education became visible.
                                                    --Macaulay.
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     Note: Fruit is frequently used adjectively, signifying of,
           for, or pertaining to a fruit or fruits; as, fruit bud;
           fruit frame; fruit jar; fruit knife; fruit loft; fruit
           show; fruit stall; fruit tree; etc.
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     {Fruit bat} (Zool.), one of the Frugivora; -- called also
        {fruit-eating bat}.
  
     {Fruit bud} (Bot.), a bud that produces fruit; -- in most
        oplants the same as the power bud.
  
     {Fruit dot} (Bot.), a collection of fruit cases, as in ferns.
        See {Sorus}.
  
     {Fruit fly} (Zool.), a small dipterous insect of the genus
        {Drosophila}, which lives in fruit, in the larval state.
        There are seveal species, some of which are very damaging
        to fruit crops. One species, {Drosophila melanogaster},
        has been intensively studied as a model species for
        genetic reserach.
  
     {Fruit jar}, a jar for holding preserved fruit, usually made
        of glass or earthenware.
  
     {Fruit pigeon} (Zool.), one of numerous species of pigeons of
        the family {Carpophagid[ae]}, inhabiting India, Australia,
        and the Pacific Islands. They feed largely upon fruit. and
        are noted for their beautiful colors.
  
     {Fruit sugar} (Chem.), a kind of sugar occurring, naturally
        formed, in many ripe fruits, and in honey; levulose. The
        name is also, though rarely, applied to {invert sugar}, or
        to the natural mixture or dextrose and levulose resembling
        it, and found in fruits and honey.
  
     {Fruit tree} (Hort.), a tree cultivated for its edible fruit.
        
  
     {Fruit worm} (Zool.), one of numerous species of insect
        larv[ae]: which live in the interior of fruit. They are
        mostly small species of Lepidoptera and Diptera.
  
     {Small fruits} (Hort.), currants, raspberries, strawberries,
        etc.
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