Swallowtail

3 definitions found

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

  Priestcap \Priest"cap`\, n. (Fort.)
     A form of redan, so named from its shape; -- called also
     {swallowtail}.
     [1913 Webster]

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



  Swallowtail \Swal"low*tail`\, n.
     1. (Carp.) A kind of tenon or tongue used in making joints.
        See {Dovetail}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) A species of willow.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Fort.) An outwork with converging sides, its head or
        front forming a reentrant angle; -- so called from its
        form. Called also {priestcap}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. A swallow-tailed coat.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              This Stultz coat, a blue swallowtail, with yellow
              buttons.                              --Thackeray.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. An arrow. --Sir W. Scott.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of large and handsome
        butterflies, belonging to Papilio and allied genera, in
        which the posterior border of each hind wing is
        prolongated in the form of a long lobe.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The black swallowtail, or asterias (see {Papilio}), the
           blue swallowtail, or philenor, the tiger swallowtail,
           or turnus (see {Turnus}), and the zebra swallowtail, or
           ajax (see under {Zebra}) are common American species.
           See also {Troilus}.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  swallowtail
       n : a man's full-dress jacket with two long tapering tails at
           the back [syn: {swallow-tailed coat}, {morning coat}]