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herb

herb

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

herb / (h)ərb/ • n. 1. any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume: bundles of dried herbs | [as adj.] a formal herb garden. ∎  a part of such a plant as used in cooking: a potato base topped with tomatoes, cheese, and herbs. 2. Bot. any seed-bearing plant that does not have a woody stem and dies down to the ground after flowering. ORIGIN: Middle English: via Old French from Latin herba ‘grass, green crops, herb.’ Although herb has always been spelled with an h, pronunciation without it was usual in British English until the 19th cent. and is still standard in the U.S.

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"herb." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"herb." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-herb.html

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herb

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2008 | Copyright

herb , name for any plant that is used medicinally or as a spice and for the useful product of such a plant. Herbs as condiments and seasonings are still important in culinary art; the use of medicinal herbs, however, has waned since the advent of prescription and synthetic medicines, although plants remain a major source of drugs. The term herb is also applied to all herbaceous plants as distinguished from woody plants.

Bibliography: See R. E. Clarkson, Herbs, their Culture and Uses (1966); G. B. Foster, Herbs for Every Garden (rev. ed. 1973); A. and C. Krochmal, A Guide to the Medicinal Plants of the United States (1974).

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herb

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Copyright

herb herb of grace the plant rue; the name is supposed to derive (like the synonymous herb of repentance), from the coincidence of the name with the noun and verb rue ‘repent, repentance’. The name is probably now best-known from Shakespeare, as in Richard II: ‘I'll set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace.’

See also better a dinner of herbs where love is.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "herb." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "herb." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-herb.html

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herb

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

herb XIII. ME. (h)erbe — OF. erbe (mod. herbe) :- L. herba grass, green crops, herb. The pronunc. without initial aspirate was regular till early XIX.
So herbaceous XVII. f. L. herbage XIV. — OF. herbal book treating of plants. XVI. — medL.; whence herbalist XVI. herbarium collection of dried plants. XVIII. — late L.; see -ARY.
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T. F. HOAD. "herb." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "herb." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-herb.html

T. F. HOAD. "herb." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-herb.html

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herb

A Dictionary of Biology | 2004 | Copyright

herb
1. A herbaceous plant, i.e. a seed-bearing plant that does not form hard woody tissue.

2. A plant with medicinal or culinary uses. Culinary herbs are usually plants whose leaves are used for flavouring food; examples are mint and parsley.
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herb

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

herb Seed-bearing plant, usually with a soft stem that withers away after one growing season. Most herbs are angiosperms. The term is also applied to any plant used as a flavouring, seasoning or medicine, such as thyme, sage, and mint.
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herb

A Dictionary of Ecology | 2004 | | Copyright

herb A small, non-woody, seed-bearing plant in which all the aerial parts die back at the end of each growing season. Compare shrub; subshrub; and tree.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "herb." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "herb." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-herb.html

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herb

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences | 1998 | | Copyright

herb A small, non-woody seed-bearing plant in which all the aerial parts die back at the end of each growing season. Compare SHRUB; SUBSHRUB; and TREE.
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herb

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

herb •acerb, blurb, curb, disturb, herb, kerb, perturb, Serb, superb, verb •suburb • potherb • willowherb •exurb • adverb • proverb

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Herbs: They'll grow on you; Enthusiasts for the plants tout their many their...
Newspaper article from: Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN); 6/8/2005
Herbs may serve as a natural salt substitute.(Home & Garden)
Newspaper article from: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL); 6/8/1997
Herbs to keep you moving: CoreyPine Shane helps you get off the couch and...
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