Mead
(Mead), n. [AS. m&aemacrd. See Meadow.] A meadow.
A mede
All full of freshe flowers, white and reede.
Chaucer.
To fertile vales and dewy meads
My weary, wandering steps he leads.
Addison. Meadow
(Mead"ow) n. [AS. meady; akin to m&aemacrd, and to G. matte; prob. also to E. mow. See
Mow to cut and cf. 2d Mead.]
1. A tract of low or level land producing grass which is mown for hay; any field on which grass is grown
for hay.
2. Low land covered with coarse grass or rank herbage near rives and in marshy places by the sea; as,
the salt meadows near Newark Bay.
Meadow
(Mead"ow), a. Of or pertaining to a meadow; of the nature of a meadow; produced, growing, or
living in, a meadow. "Fat meadow ground." Milton.
For many names of plants compounded with meadow, see the particular word in the Vocabulary.
Meadow beauty.
(Bot.) Same as Deergrass. — Meadow foxtail (Bot.), a valuable pasture grass
(Alopecurus pratensis) resembling timothy, but with softer spikes. — Meadow grass (Bot.), a name
given to several grasses of the genus Poa, common in meadows, and of great value for nay and for
pasture. See Grass. — Meadow hay, a coarse grass, or true sedge, growing in uncultivated swamp
or river meadow; — used as fodder or bedding for cattle, packing for ice, etc. [Local, U. S.] — Meadow
hen. (Zoöl.) (a) The American bittern. See Stake-driver. (b) The American coot (c) The clapper
rail. — Meadow lark (Zoöl.), any species of Sturnella, a genus of American birds allied to the starlings.
The common species (S. magna) has a yellow breast with a black crescent. — Meadow mouse (Zoöl.),
any mouse of the genus Arvicola, as the common American species A. riparia; — called also field
mouse, and field vole. — Meadow mussel (Zoöl.), an American ribbed mussel (Modiola plicatula),
very abundant in salt marshes. — Meadow ore (Min.), bog-iron ore , a kind of limonite. — Meadow
parsnip. (Bot.) See under Parsnip. — Meadow pink. (Bot.) See under Pink. — Meadow pipit
(Zoöl.), a small singing bird of the genus Anthus, as A. pratensis, of Europe. — Meadow rue (Bot.),
a delicate early plant, of the genus Thalictrum, having compound leaves and numerous white flowers.
There are many species. — Meadow saffron. (Bot.) See under Saffron. — Meadow sage. (Bot.)
See under Sage. — Meadow saxifrage (Bot.), an umbelliferous plant of Europe (Silaus pratensis),
somewhat resembling fennel. — Meadow snipe (Zoöl.), the common or jack snipe.
Meadowsweet
(Mead"ow*sweet` Mead"ow*wort`) n. (Bot.) The name of several plants of the genus
Spiræa, especially the white- or pink-flowered S. salicifolia, a low European and American shrub, and the
herbaceous S. Ulmaria, which has fragrant white flowers in compound cymes.
Meadowy
(Mead"ow*y) a. Of or pertaining to meadows; resembling, or consisting of, meadow.
Meager
(Mea"ger, Mea"gre) a. [OE. merge, F. maigre, L. macer; akin to D. & G. mager, Icel. magr,
and prob. to Gr. makro`s long. Cf. Emaciate, Maigre.]
1. Destitue of, or having little, flesh; lean.
Meager were his looks;
Sharp misery had worn him to the bones.
Shak.