heath hen

heath hen
Heath Heath (h[=e]th), n. [OE. heth waste land, the plant heath, AS. h[=ae][eth]; akin to D. & G. heide, Icel. hei[eth]r waste land, Dan. hede, Sw. hed, Goth. hai[thorn]i field, L. bucetum a cow pasture; cf. W. coed a wood, Skr. ksh[=e]tra field. [root]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}. [1913 Webster]

2. A place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage. [1913 Webster]

Their stately growth, though bare, Stands on the blasted heath. --Milton [1913 Webster]

{Heath cock} (Zo["o]l.), 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} (Zo["o]l.), 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}. (Zo["o]l.) 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} (Zo["o]l.), a European thrush which frequents heaths; the ring ouzel. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Heath hen — Heath Heath (h[=e]th), n. [OE. heth waste land, the plant heath, AS. h[=ae][eth]; akin to D. & G. heide, Icel. hei[eth]r waste land, Dan. hede, Sw. hed, Goth. hai[thorn]i field, L. bucetum a cow pasture; cf. W. coed a wood, Skr. ksh[=e]tra field …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • heath-hen — heathˈ hen noun 1. The grey hen or female black grouse 2. An extinct American bird related to the prairie chicken • • • Main Entry: ↑heath …   Useful english dictionary

  • heath hen — heath′ hen n. orn an extinct prairie chicken of the eastern U.S. Tympanuchus cupido cupido[/ex] • Etymology: 1640–50 …   From formal English to slang

  • heath hen — ☆ heath hen n. an extinct New England grouse (Tympanuchus cupido cupido) …   English World dictionary

  • Heath Hen — Taxobox name = Heath Hen status = EX extinct = 1932 image caption = Stuffed specimen at Boston Museum of Science regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Galliformes familia = Tetraonidae genus = Tympanuchus species = T. cupido… …   Wikipedia

  • heath hen — noun 1. extinct prairie chicken • Syn: ↑Tympanuchus cupido cupido • Hypernyms: ↑prairie chicken, ↑prairie grouse, ↑prairie fowl 2. female black grouse • Syn: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • heath hen — noun Date: 1644 a now extinct grouse (Tympanuchus cupido cupido) of the northeastern U.S. compare prairie chicken …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • heath hen — 1. an American gallinaceous bird, Tympanuchus cupido cupido, closely related to the prairie chicken: extinct. 2. the female of the black grouse. [1585 95] * * * …   Universalium

  • heath hen — n. female black grouse; nonexistent prairie chicken …   English contemporary dictionary

  • USS Heath Hen (AMc-6) — For the satellite, see AMC 6 (satellite)USS Heath Hen (AMc 6) a wooden dragger, was built in 1936 by A. D. Storey, Fairhaven, Massachusetts, as Noreen ; acquired by the U.S. Navy 18 October 1940 as USS Heath Hen (AMc 6); converted to a coastal… …   Wikipedia

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