Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Heath
Heath
(hēth)
, Noun.
[OE.
heth
waste land, the plant heath, AS. hǣð
; akin to D. & G. heide
, Icel. heiðr
waste land, Dan. hede
, Sw. hed
, Goth. haiþi
field, L. bucetum
a cow pasture; cf. W. coed
a wood, Skr. kshētra
field. √20.] 1.
(Bot.)
(a)
A low shrub (
Erica vulgaris
or Calluna vulgaris
), with minute evergreen leaves, and handsome clusters of pink flowers. It is used in Great Britain for brooms, thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. It is also called heather
, and ling
. (b)
Also, any species of the genus
Erica
, of which several are European, and many more are South African, some of great beauty. See Illust. of Heather
. 2.
A place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage.
Their stately growth, though bare,
Stands on the blasted
Stands on the blasted
heath
. Milton
Heath cock
(Zool.)
, the blackcock. See
– Heath grouse
(below). Heath grass
(Bot.)
, a kind of perennial grass, of the genus
– Triodia
(Triodia decumbens
), growing on dry heaths. Heath grouse
, or
Heath game
(Zool.)
, a European grouse (
– Tetrao tetrix
), which inhabits heaths; – called also black game
, black grouse
, heath poult
, heath fowl
, moor fowl
. The male is called heath cock
, and blackcock
; the female, heath hen
, and gray hen
. Heath hen
. (Zool.)
See
– Heath grouse
(above). Heath pea
(Bot.)
, a species of bitter vetch (
– Lathyrus macrorhizus
), the tubers of which are eaten, and in Scotland are used to flavor whisky. Heath throstle
(Zool.)
, a European thrush which frequents heaths; the ring ouzel.
Webster 1828 Edition
Heath
HEATH
, n.1.
A plant of the genus Erica, of many species. It is a shrub which is used in Great Britain for brooms, thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. Its leaves are small and continue green all the year. It is called also ling.2.
A place overgrown with heath.3.
A place overgrown with shrubs of any kind.