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oystermore about oyster

oyster

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Oyster  \Oys"ter\,  n.  [OF.  oistre,  F.  hu[^i]tre,  L.  ostrea, 
  ostreum  Gr  'o`streon;  prob.  akin  to  'ostre`on  bone,  the 
  oyster  being  so  named  from  its  shell.  Cf  {Osseous}, 
  {Ostracize}.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  marine  bivalve  mollusk  of  the  genus  Ostrea. 
  They  are  usually  found  adhering  to  rocks  or  other  fixed 
  objects  in  shallow  water  along  the  seacoasts,  or  in 
  brackish  water  in  the  mouth  of  rivers.  The  common  European 
  oyster  ({Ostrea  edulis}),  and  the  American  oyster  ({Ostrea 
  Virginiana}),  are  the  most  important  species. 
 
  2.  A  name  popularly  given  to  the  delicate  morsel  contained  in 
  a  small  cavity  of  the  bone  on  each  side  of  the  lower  part 
  of  the  back  of  a  fowl. 
 
  {Fresh-water  oyster}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  species  of  the  genus 
  {Etheria},  and  allied  genera,  found  in  rivers  of  Africa 
  and  South  America.  They  are  irregular  in  form  and  attach 
  themselves  to  rocks  like  oysters,  but  they  have  a  pearly 
  interior,  and  are  allied  to  the  fresh-water  mussels. 
 
  {Oyster  bed},  a  breeding  place  for  oysters;  a  place  in  a 
  tidal  river  or  other  water  on  or  near  the  seashore,  where 
  oysters  are  deposited  to  grow  and  fatten  for  market.  See 
  1st  {Scalp},  n. 
 
  {Oyster  catcher}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  one  of  several  species  of 
  wading  birds  of  the  genus  {H[ae]matopus},  which  frequent 
  seashores  and  feed  upon  shellfish.  The  European  species 
  ({H.  ostralegus}),  the  common  American  species  ({H. 
  palliatus}),  and  the  California,  or  black,  oyster  catcher 
  ({H.  Bachmani})  are  the  best  known 
 
  {Oyster  crab}  (Zo["o]l.)  a  small  crab  ({Pinnotheres  ostreum}) 
  which  lives  as  a  commensal  in  the  gill  cavity  of  the 
  oyster. 
 
  {Oyster  dredge},  a  rake  or  small  dragnet  of  bringing  up 
  oyster  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 
 
  {Oyster  fish}.  ({Zo["o]l}.) 
  a  The  tautog. 
  b  The  toadfish. 
 
  {Oyster  plant}.  (Bot.) 
  a  A  plant  of  the  genus  {Tragopogon}  ({T.  porrifolius}), 
  the  root  of  which  when  cooked,  somewhat  resembles  the 
  oyster  in  taste;  salsify;  --  called  also  {vegetable 
  oyster}. 
  b  A  plant  found  on  the  seacoast  of  Northern  Europe, 
  America  and  Asia  ({Mertensia  maritima}),  the  fresh 
  leaves  of  which  have  a  strong  flavor  of  oysters. 
 
  {Oyster  plover}.  (Zo["o]l.)  Same  as  {Oyster  catcher},  above. 
 
 
  {Oyster  shell}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  shell  of  an  oyster. 
 
  {Oyster  wench},  {Oyster  wife},  {Oyster  women},  a  women  who 
  deals  in  oysters. 
 
  {Pearl  oyster}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  under  {Pearl}. 
 
  {Thorny  oyster}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  spiny  marine  shell  of  the 
  genus  {Spondylus}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  oyster 
  n  1:  marine  mollusks  having  a  rough  irregular  shell;  found  on  the 
  sea  bed  mostly  in  coastal  waters 
  2:  edible  body  of  any  of  numerous  oysters  [syn:  {huitre}] 
  3:  a  small  muscle  on  each  side  of  the  back  of  a  fowl 
  v  :  gather  oysters,  dig  oysters 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  OYSTER,  n.  A  slimy,  gobby  shellfish  which  civilization  gives  men  the 
  hardihood  to  eat  without  removing  its  entrails!  The  shells  are 
  sometimes  given  to  the  poor. 
 
 
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