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mountain laurel
mountain laurel evergreen shrub ( Kalmia latifolia ) of the family Ericaceae ( heath family), closely related to the rhododendron and native to E North America. The state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, it has leathery leaves and large clusters of spring-blooming pink or white flowers borne at the ends of the branches. The flowers are unusual in having the anthers of the stamens held in little pockets of the corolla and released like springs when touched by an insect. Mountain laurel, called also calico bush and spoonwood, is poisonous to livestock but seldom palatable; formerly its leaves were used as a remedy for skin diseases, and spoons were made from the hard wood. Like other species of Kalmia (named for Peter Kalm) that share its poisonous quality and elastic stamens, it is an acid-soil plant. The sheep laurel or lambkill ( K. angustifolia ) has smaller, deeper pink flowers not borne at the branch tips. The true laurel belongs to a separate family. Although the leaves of Kalmia somewhat resemble in shape those of the true laurel, only the latter (sold as bayleaf) is suitable for seasoning. Mountain laurel is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Magnoliopsida, order Ericales, family Ericaceae. |
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"mountain laurel." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "mountain laurel." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-mntnlaur.html "mountain laurel." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-mntnlaur.html |
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laurel
lau·rel / ˈlôrəl;ˈlär-/ • n. 1. any of a number of shrubs and other plants with dark green glossy leaves, in particular: • short for mountain laurel.short for cherry laurel. the bay tree. See bay2 . 2. an aromatic evergreen shrub related to the bay tree, several kinds of which form forests in tropical and warm countries. • Family Lauraceae: many genera and species. 3. (usu. laurels) the foliage of the bay tree woven into a wreath or crown and worn on the head as an emblem of victory or mark of honor in classical times. ∎ fig. honor: she has rightly won laurels for this brilliantly perceptive first novel. • v. (-reled , -rel·ing; Brit. -relled, -rel·ling) [tr.] adorn with or as if with a laurel: they banish our anger forever when they laurel the graves of our dead. PHRASES: look to one's laurels be careful not to lose one's superior position to a rival. rest on one's laurels be so satisfied with what one has already achieved that one makes no further effort. |
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"laurel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "laurel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-laurel005.html "laurel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-laurel005.html |
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Laurel
Laurel1 Town (1990 pop. 19,438), Prince Georges co., central Md., about halfway between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore; patented in the late 1600s, inc. 1870. Primarily residential, Laurel has light manufacturing. The Washington, D.C., Children's Center and Laurel Race Course (opened 1911) are there. In the area are the Patuxent Research Refuge, a large Fish and Wildlife Service research installation; and Fort George G. Meade (est. 1917).
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Cite this article
"Laurel." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Laurel." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Laurel.html "Laurel." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Laurel.html |
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Laurel
LaurelA tree that Lucius Apuleius (ca. 126-173 B.C.E.) classed as among the plants which preserve men from the influence of evil spirits. It was also believed to give protection from lightning. The laurel was regarded as sacred to Apollo, and it was associated with purifying, since Apollo was the great purifier. An evergreen, it was a symbol of immortality; its intoxicating properties associated it with prophetic and poetic inspiration. The Pythian priestess at Delphi in Greece used to chew laurel leaves to enhance oracular powers. The laurel also symbolized victory and peace. The victors in the Pythian games were crowned with laurel. Roman generals sent news of their victories in messages wrapped in laurel leaves, delivered to the Senate. |
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"Laurel." Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Laurel." Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3403802717.html "Laurel." Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. 2001. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3403802717.html |
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laurel
laurel the foliage of the bay tree woven into a wreath or crown and worn on the head as an emblem of victory or mark of honour in classical times. The word is often found in the plural, as in look to one's laurels, be concerned about losing one's pre-eminence, and rest on one's laurels, cease to strive for further glory.
In classical times (as recorded by Pliny), laurel was believed to avert lightning. Laurel may also be used in numismatics to designate an English gold coin, first coined in 1619, on which the sovereign's head was shown with a wreath of laurel. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "laurel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "laurel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-laurel.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "laurel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-laurel.html |
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laurel
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"laurel." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "laurel." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-laurel.html "laurel." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-laurel.html |
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Laurel
Laurel ♀ 19th-century coinage from the vocabulary word for the tree (Middle English lorel, a dissimilated form of Old French lorer). However, Laurel is also recorded in the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was probably a pet form of Laura.
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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Laurel." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Laurel." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Laurel.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Laurel." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Laurel.html |
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laurel
laurel ME. lorer (XIII), lorel (XIV) —OF. lorier (mod. laurier)— Pr. laurier, f. laur :- L. laurus, prob. of Mediterranean orig. The later form shows disim. of r . . r to r . . l.
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T. F. HOAD. "laurel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "laurel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-laurel.html T. F. HOAD. "laurel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-laurel.html |
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Laurel
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Cite this article
"Laurel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Laurel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-laurel.html "Laurel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-laurel.html |
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laurel
laurel •apparel, barrel, carol, Carole, carrel, Carroll, Darrell, Darryl, Farrell
•gambrel • spandrel
•astral, plastral
•cracker-barrel
•Errol, feral
•petrel, petrol
•spectral
•central, epicentral, ventral
•ancestral, kestrel, orchestral
•dextral • Sacheverell • mayoral
•sacral • wastrel • cerebral
•anhedral, cathedral, dihedral, tetrahedral
•hypaethral (US hypethral), urethral
•squirrel, Tyrol, Wirral
•timbrel, whimbrel
•minstrel • arbitral • sinistral • integral
•triumviral
•spiral, viral
•amoral, Balmoral, coral, immoral, laurel, moral, quarrel, sorel, sorrel
•cockerel, Cockerell
•dotterel • rostral
•aboral, aural, choral, floral, goral, oral
•austral, claustral
•scoundrel • cloistral • neutral • figural
•augural
•demurral, Durrell
•mongrel • sepulchral • lustral
•spheral • retiral
•crural, jural, mural, neural, plural, rural
•illiberal, liberal
•natural • federal • peripheral
•doggerel • mackerel • pickerel
•bicameral, unicameral
•admiral
•ephemeral, femoral
•humeral, numeral
•general • mineral • funeral
•spatio-temporal, temporal
•corporal • tesseral • visceral
•bilateral, collateral, equilateral, lateral, multilateral, quadrilateral, trilateral, unilateral
•pastoral
•electoral, pectoral, prefectoral, protectoral
•clitoral, literal, littoral, presbyteral
•dipteral, peripteral
•doctoral • several • behavioural
•conferral, deferral, referral, transferral
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"laurel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "laurel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-laurel.html "laurel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-laurel.html |
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