Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

umbrellamore about umbrella

umbrella


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Umbrella  \Um*brel"la\,  n.  [It.  umbrella,  fr  ombra  a  shade,  L. 
  umbra;  cf  L.  umbella  a  sunshade,  a  parasol.  Cf  {Umbel}, 
  {Umbrage}.] 
  1.  A  shade,  screen,  or  guard,  carried  in  the  hand  for 
  sheltering  the  person  from  the  rays  of  the  sun,  or  from 
  rain  or  snow.  It  is  formed  of  silk,  cotton,  or  other 
  fabric,  extended  on  strips  of  whalebone,  steel,  or  other 
  elastic  material,  inserted,  or  fastened  to  a  rod  or  stick 
  by  means  of  pivots  or  hinges,  in  such  a  way  as  to  allow  of 
  being  opened  and  closed  with  ease.  See  {Parasol}. 
 
  Underneath  the  umbrella's  oily  shed.  --Gay. 
 
  2.  (Zo["o]l.)  The  umbrellalike  disk,  or  swimming  bell,  of  a 
  jellyfish. 
 
  3.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  marine  tectibranchiate  gastropod  of  the 
  genus  {Umbrella},  having  an  umbrella-shaped  shell;  -- 
  called  also  {umbrella  shell}. 
 
  {Umbrella  ant}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  sauba  ant;  --  so  called 
  because  it  carries  bits  of  leaves  over  its  back  when 
  foraging.  Called  also  {parasol  ant}. 
 
  {Umbrella  bird}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  South  American  bird 
  ({Cephalopterus  ornatus})  of  the  family  {Cotingid[ae]}.  It 
  is  black,  with  a  large  handsome  crest  consisting  of  a  mass 
  of  soft,  glossy  blue  feathers  curved  outward  at  the  tips. 
  It  also  has  a  cervical  plume  consisting  of  a  long, 
  cylindrical  dermal  process  covered  with  soft  hairy 
  feathers.  Called  also  {dragoon  bird}. 
 
  {Umbrella  leaf}  (Bot.),  an  American  perennial  herb 
  ({Dyphylleia  cymosa}),  having  very  large  peltate  and  lobed 
  radical  leaves. 
 
  {Umbrella  shell}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  {Umbrella},  3. 
 
  {Umbrella  tree}  (Bot.),  a  kind  of  magnolia  ({M.  Umbrella}) 
  with  the  large  leaves  arranged  in  umbrellalike  clusters  at 
  the  ends  of  the  branches.  It  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
  Virginia,  and  Kentucky.  Other  plants  in  various  countries 
  are  called  by  this  name  especially  a  kind  of  screw  pine 
  ({Pandanus  odoratissimus}). 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  umbrella 
  adj  :  covering  or  applying  simultaneously  to  a  number  of  similar 
  items  or  elements  or  groups;  "an  umbrella 
  organization";  "umbrella  insurance  coverage" 
  n  1:  a  lightweight  handheld  collapsible  shelter 
  2:  a  formation  of  military  planes  maintained  over  ground 
  operations  or  targets;  "an  air  umbrella  over  England" 
  3:  having  the  function  of  uniting  a  group  of  similar  things 
  "the  Democratic  Party  is  an  umbrella  for  many  liberal 
  groups";  "under  the  umbrella  of  capitalism" 




more about umbrella