Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Tree

Tree

(trē)
,
Noun.
[OE.
tree
,
tre
,
treo
, AS.
treó
,
treów
, tree, wood; akin to OFries.
trē
, OS.
treo
,
trio
, Icel.
trē
, Dan.
trae
, Sw.
trä
,
träd
, Goth.
triu
, Russ.
drevo
, W.
derw
an oak, Ir.
darag
,
darog
, Gr.
δρῦσ
a tree, oak,
δόρυ
a beam, spear shaft, spear, Skr.
dru
tree, wood,
dāru
wood. √63, 241. Cf.
Dryad
,
Germander
,
Tar
,
Noun.
,
Trough
.]
1.
(Bot.)
Any perennial woody plant of considerable size (usually over twenty feet high) and growing with a single trunk.
☞ The kind of tree referred to, in any particular case, is often indicated by a modifying word; as forest
tree
, fruit
tree
, palm
tree
, apple
tree
, pear
tree
, etc.
2.
Something constructed in the form of, or considered as resembling, a tree, consisting of a stem, or stock, and branches;
as, a genealogical
tree
.
3.
A piece of timber, or something commonly made of timber; – used in composition, as in axle
tree
, boot
tree
, chess
tree
, cross
tree
, whiffle
tree
, and the like.
4.
A cross or gallows; as Tyburn
tree
.
[Jesus] whom they slew and hanged on a
tree
.
Acts x. 39.
5.
Wood; timber.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
In a great house ben not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of
tree
and of earth.
Wyclif (2 Tim. ii. 20).
6.
(Chem.)
A mass of crystals, aggregated in arborescent forms, obtained by precipitation of a metal from solution. See
Lead tree
, under
Lead
.
Tree bear
(Zool.)
,
the raccoon.
[Local, U. S.]
Tree beetle
(Zool.)
any one of numerous species of beetles which feed on the leaves of trees and shrubs, as the May beetles, the rose beetle, the rose chafer, and the goldsmith beetle.
Tree bug
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of hemipterous insects which live upon, and suck the sap of, trees and shrubs. They belong to
Arma
,
Pentatoma
,
Rhaphigaster
, and allied genera.
Tree cat
(Zool.)
,
the common paradoxure (
Paradoxurus musang
).
Tree clover
(Bot.)
,
a tall kind of melilot (
Melilotus alba
). See
Melilot
.
Tree crab
(Zool.)
,
the purse crab. See under
Purse
.
Tree creeper
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of arboreal creepers belonging to
Certhia
,
Climacteris
, and allied genera. See
Creeper
, 3.
Tree cricket
(Zool.)
,
a nearly white arboreal American cricket (
Ecanthus nivœus
) which is noted for its loud stridulation; – called also
white cricket
.
Tree crow
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of Old World crows belonging to
Crypsirhina
and allied genera, intermediate between the true crows and the jays. The tail is long, and the bill is curved and without a tooth.
Tree dove
(Zool.)
any one of several species of East Indian and Asiatic doves belonging to
Macropygia
and allied genera. They have long and broad tails, are chiefly arboreal in their habits, and feed mainly on fruit.
Tree duck
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of ducks belonging to
Dendrocygna
and allied genera. These ducks have a long and slender neck and a long hind toe. They are arboreal in their habits, and are found in the tropical parts of America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Tree fern
(Bot.)
,
an arborescent fern having a straight trunk, sometimes twenty or twenty-five feet high, or even higher, and bearing a cluster of fronds at the top. Most of the existing species are tropical.
Tree fish
(Zool.)
,
a California market fish (
Sebastichthys serriceps
).
Tree frog
.
(Zool.)
(a)
Same as
Tree toad
.
(b)
Any one of numerous species of Old World frogs belonging to
Chiromantis
,
Rhacophorus
, and allied genera of the family
Ranidae
. Their toes are furnished with suckers for adhesion. The flying frog (see under
Flying
) is an example.
Tree goose
(Zool.)
,
the bernicle goose.
Tree hopper
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of small leaping hemipterous insects which live chiefly on the branches and twigs of trees, and injure them by sucking the sap. Many of them are very odd in shape, the prothorax being often prolonged upward or forward in the form of a spine or crest.
Tree jobber
(Zool.)
,
a woodpecker.
[Obs.]
Tree kangaroo
.
(Zool.)
See
Kangaroo
.
Tree lark
(Zool.)
,
the tree pipit.
[Prov. Eng.]
Tree lizard
(Zool.)
,
any one of a group of Old World arboreal lizards (formerly grouped as the
Dendrosauria
) comprising the chameleons; also applied to various lizards belonging to the families
Agamidae
or
Iguanidae
, especially those of the genus
Urosaurus
, such as the
lined tree lizard
(
Urosaurus ornatus
) of the southwestern U.S.
Tree lobster
.
(Zool.)
Same as
Tree crab
, above.
Tree louse
(Zool.)
,
any aphid; a plant louse.
Tree moss
.
(Bot.)
(a)
Any moss or lichen growing on trees.
(b)
Any species of moss in the form of a miniature tree.
Tree mouse
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of African mice of the subfamily
Dendromyinae
. They have long claws and habitually live in trees.
Tree nymph
,
a wood nymph. See
Dryad
.
Tree of a saddle
,
a saddle frame.
Tree of heaven
(Bot.)
,
an ornamental tree (
Ailantus glandulosus
) having long, handsome pinnate leaves, and greenish flowers of a disagreeable odor.
Tree of life
(Bot.)
,
a tree of the genus Thuja; arbor vitae.
Tree onion
(Bot.)
,
a species of garlic (
Allium proliferum
) which produces bulbs in place of flowers, or among its flowers.
Tree oyster
(Zool.)
,
a small American oyster (
Ostrea folium
) which adheres to the roots of the mangrove tree; – called also
raccoon oyster
.
Tree pie
(Zool.)
,
any species of Asiatic birds of the genus
Dendrocitta
. The tree pies are allied to the magpie.
Tree pigeon
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of longwinged arboreal pigeons native of Asia, Africa, and Australia, and belonging to
Megaloprepia
,
Carpophaga
, and allied genera.
Tree pipit
.
(Zool.)
See under
Pipit
.
Tree porcupine
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of Central and South American arboreal porcupines belonging to the genera
Chaetomys
and
Sphingurus
. They have an elongated and somewhat prehensile tail, only four toes on the hind feet, and a body covered with short spines mixed with bristles. One South American species (
Sphingurus villosus
) is called also
couiy
; another (
Sphingurus prehensilis
) is called also
cœndou
.
Tree rat
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of large ratlike West Indian rodents belonging to the genera
Capromys
and
Plagiodon
. They are allied to the porcupines.
Tree serpent
(Zool.)
,
a tree snake.
Tree shrike
(Zool.)
,
a bush shrike.
Tree snake
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of snakes of the genus
Dendrophis
. They live chiefly among the branches of trees, and are not venomous.
Tree sorrel
(Bot.)
,
a kind of sorrel (
Rumex Lunaria
) which attains the stature of a small tree, and bears greenish flowers. It is found in the Canary Islands and Tenerife.
Tree sparrow
(Zool.)
any one of several species of small arboreal sparrows, especially the American tree sparrow (
Spizella monticola
), and the common European species (
Passer montanus
).
Tree swallow
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of swallows of the genus
Hylochelidon
which lay their eggs in holes in dead trees. They inhabit Australia and adjacent regions. Called also
martin
in Australia.
Tree swift
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of swifts of the genus
Dendrochelidon
which inhabit the East Indies and Southern Asia.
Tree tiger
(Zool.)
,
a leopard.
Tree toad
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of amphibians belonging to
Hyla
and allied genera of the family
Hylidae
. They are related to the common frogs and toads, but have the tips of the toes expanded into suckers by means of which they cling to the bark and leaves of trees. Only one species (
Hyla arborea
) is found in Europe, but numerous species occur in America and Australia. The common tree toad of the Northern United States (
Hyla versicolor
) is noted for the facility with which it changes its colors. Called also
tree frog
. See also
Piping frog
, under
Piping
, and
Cricket frog
, under
Cricket
.
Tree warbler
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of arboreal warblers belonging to
Phylloscopus
and allied genera.
Tree wool
(Bot.)
,
a fine fiber obtained from the leaves of pine trees.

Tree

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Treed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Treeing
.]
1.
To drive to a tree; to cause to ascend a tree;
as, a dog
trees
a squirrel
.
J. Burroughs.
2.
To place upon a tree; to fit with a tree; to stretch upon a tree;
as, to
tree
a boot
. See
Tree
,
Noun.
, 3.

Webster 1828 Edition


Tree

TREE

, n.
1.
The general name of the largest of the vegetable kind, consisting of a firm woody stem springing from woody roots, and spreading above into branches which terminate in leaves. A tree differs from a shrub principally in size, many species of trees growing to the highth of fifty or sixty feet, and some species to seventy or eighty, and a few, particularly the pine, to a much greater highth.
Trees are of various kinds; as nuciferous, or nut-bearing trees; bacciferous, or berry-bearing; coniferous, or cone-bearing, &c. Some are forest-trees, and useful for timber or fuel; others are fruit trees, and cultivated in gardens and orchards; others are used chiefly for shade and ornament.
2.
Something resembling a tree, consisting of a stem or stalk and branches; as a genealogical tree.
3.
In ship-building, pieces of timber are called chess-trees, cross-trees, roof-trees, tressel-trees, &c.
4.
In Scripture, a cross.
--Jesus, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Act.10.
5.
Wood.

Definition 2024


tree

tree

See also: tree-

English

Picture dictionary
treetree (1)
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plant
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plant

root
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root

trunk
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trunk

branch
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branch

leaf
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leaf

needle
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needle

fruit
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fruit

A tree structure

Noun

tree (plural trees or (obsolete) treen)

  1. A large plant, not exactly defined, but typically over four meters in height, with a single trunk which grows in girth with age and branches (which also grow in circumference with age).
    Hyperion is the tallest living tree in the world.
    Birds have a nest in a tree in the garden.
  2. Any plant that is reminiscent of the above but not classified as a tree in the strict botanical sense: for example the banana "tree".
  3. An object made from a tree trunk and having multiple hooks or storage platforms.
    He had the choice of buying a scratching post or a cat tree.
  4. A device used to hold or stretch a shoe open.
    He put a shoe tree in each of his shoes.
  5. The structural frame of a saddle.
  6. (graph theory) A connected graph with no cycles or, equivalently, a connected graph with n vertices and n-1 edges.
  7. (computing theory) A recursive data structure in which each node has zero or more nodes as children.
  8. (graphical user interface) A display or listing of entries or elements such that there are primary and secondary entries shown, usually linked by drawn lines or by indenting to the right.
    We’ll show it as a tree list.
  9. Any structure or construct having branches akin to (1).
  10. The structure or wooden frame used in the construction of a saddle used in horse riding.
  11. (informal) Marijuana.
    • 2005, Eminem and Nate Dogg (lyrics), Shake That”, in Curtain Call: The Hits:
      I like good pussy and I like good trees / Smoke so much weed you wouldn't believe
  12. (obsolete) A cross or gallows.
    Tyburn tree
    • Bible, Acts x. 39
      [Jesus] whom they slew and hanged on a tree.
  13. (obsolete) wood; timber
    • Wyclif Bible (2 Tim. ii. 20)
      In a great house ben not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of tree and of earth.
  14. (chemistry) A mass of crystals, aggregated in arborescent forms, obtained by precipitation of a metal from solution.

Derived terms

Proverbs

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

Synonyms

Translations

See also

Verb

tree (third-person singular simple present trees, present participle treeing, simple past and past participle treed)

  1. (transitive) To chase (an animal or person) up a tree.
    The dog treed the cat.
    • Encyclopaedia of Sport
      When hunted, it [the jaguar] takes refuge in trees, and this habit is well known to hunters, who pursue it with dogs and pot it when treed.
  2. (transitive) To place upon a tree; to fit with a tree; to stretch upon a tree.
    to tree a boot

Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: notice · week · stone · #780: tree · cost · value · cast

Anagrams


Dutch

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [treː]

Noun

tree m (plural treeën or trees, diminutive treetje n)

  1. step (of a staircase), stair

Anagrams


North Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian thrē.

Numeral

tree

  1. (Heligoland) three