4 definitions found From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: mandrake \man"drake\ (m[a^]n"dr[=a]k), n. [AS. mandragora, L. mandragoras, fr. Gr. mandrago`ras: cf. F. mandragore.] 1. (Bot.) A low plant ({Mandragora officinarum}) of the Nightshade family, having a fleshy root, often forked, and supposed to resemble a man. It was therefore supposed to have animal life, and to cry out when pulled up. All parts of the plant are strongly narcotic. It is found in the Mediterranean region. [1913 Webster] And shrieks like mandrakes, torn out of the earth, That living mortals, hearing them, run mad. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Note: The mandrake of Scripture was perhaps the same plant, but proof is wanting. [1913 Webster] 2. (Bot.) The May apple ({Podophyllum peltatum}). See {May apple} under {May}, and {Podophyllum}. [U.S.] [1913 Webster] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: mandrake root \mandrake root\ n. The root of the mandrake plant; used medicinally or as a narcotic; as a substance it is also called {mandrake}. [WordNet 1.5] From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: May \May\, n. [F. Mai, L. Maius; so named in honor of the goddess Maia (Gr. Mai^a), daughter of Atlas and mother of Mercury by Jupiter.] 1. The fifth month of the year, containing thirty-one days. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. The early part or springtime of life. [1913 Webster] His May of youth, and bloom of lustihood. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. (Bot.) The flowers of the hawthorn; -- so called from their time of blossoming; also, the hawthorn. [1913 Webster] The palm and may make country houses gay. --Nash. [1913 Webster] Plumes that mocked the may. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster] 4. The merrymaking of May Day. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster] {Italian may} (Bot.), a shrubby species of {Spiraea} ({Spiraea hypericifolia}) with many clusters of small white flowers along the slender branches. {May apple} (Bot.), the fruit of an American plant ({Podophyllum peltatum}). Also, the plant itself (popularly called {mandrake}), which has two lobed leaves, and bears a single egg-shaped fruit at the forking. The root and leaves, used in medicine, are powerfully drastic. {May beetle}, {May bug} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of large lamellicorn beetles that appear in the winged state in May. They belong to {Melolontha}, and allied genera. Called also {June beetle}. {May Day}, the first day of May; -- celebrated in the rustic parts of England by the crowning of a May queen with a garland, and by dancing about a May pole. {May dew}, the morning dew of the first day of May, to which magical properties were attributed. {May flower} (Bot.), a plant that flowers in May; also, its blossom. See {Mayflower}, in the vocabulary. {May fly} (Zool.), any species of {Ephemera}, and allied genera; -- so called because the mature flies of many species appear in May. See {Ephemeral fly}, under {Ephemeral}. {May game}, any May-day sport. {May lady}, the queen or lady of May, in old May games. {May lily} (Bot.), the lily of the valley ({Convallaria majalis}). {May pole}. See {Maypole} in the Vocabulary. {May queen}, a girl or young woman crowned queen in the sports of May Day. {May thorn}, the hawthorn. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]: mandrake n 1: the root of the mandrake plant; used medicinally or as a narcotic [syn: {mandrake root}] 2: a plant of southern Europe and North Africa having purple flowers, yellow fruits and a forked root formerly thought to have magical powers [syn: {devil's apples}, {Mandragora officinarum}]
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