Moss n. 1.(Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and simple leaves. The fruit is a small capsule usually opening by an apical lid, and so discharging the spores. There are many species, collectively termed Musci, growing on the earth, on rocks, and trunks of trees, etc., and a few in running water. Note: The term moss is also popularly applied to many other small cryptogamic plants, particularly lichens, species of which are called tree moss, rock moss, coral moss, etc. Fir moss and club moss are of the genus Lycopodium. See Club moss, under Club, and Lycopodium. 2.A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses of the Scottish border. Note: Moss is used with participles in the composition of words which need no special explanation; as, moss-capped, moss-clad, moss-covered, moss-grown, etc.
Black moss. See under Black, and Tillandsia. Feather moss, any moss branched in a feathery manner, esp. several species of the genus Hypnum.
Florida moss, Long moss, or Spanish moss. See Tillandsia. Iceland moss, a lichen. See Iceland Moss. Irish moss, a seaweed. See Carrageen. Moss agate (Min.), a variety of agate, containing brown, black, or green mosslike or dendritic markings, due in part to oxide of manganese. Called also Mocha stone.
Moss animal (Zool.), a bryozoan.
Moss berry (Bot.), the small cranberry (Vaccinium Oxycoccus).
Moss campion (Bot.), a kind of mosslike catchfly (Silene acaulis), with mostly purplish flowers, found on the highest mountains of Europe and America, and within the Arctic circle.
Moss land, land produced accumulation of aquatic plants, forming peat bogs of more or less consistency, as the water is grained off or retained in its pores.
Moss pink (Bot.), a plant of the genus Phlox (Phlox subulata), growing in patches on dry rocky hills in the Middle United States, and often cultivated for its handsome flowers.
Moss rose (Bot.), a variety of rose having a mosslike growth on the stalk and calyx. It is said to be derived from the Provence rose.
Moss rush (Bot.), a rush of the genus Juncus (Juncus squarrosus).
Scale moss. See Hepatica. Black adj. 1.Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark color, the opposite of white; characterized by such a color; as, black cloth; black hair or eyes. "O night, with hue so black!"
2.In a less literal sense: Enveloped or shrouded in darkness; very dark or gloomy; as, a black night; the heavens black with clouds. "I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud."
3.Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness; destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked; cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible. "This day's black fate." "Black villainy." "Arise, black vengeance." "Black day." "Black despair."
4.Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen; foreboding; as, to regard one with black looks. Note: Black is often used in self-explaining compound words; as, black-eyed, black-faced, black-haired, black-visaged.
Black act, the English statute 9 George I, which makes it a felony to appear armed in any park or warren, etc., or to hunt or steal deer, etc., with the face blackened or disguised. Subsequent acts inflicting heavy penalties for malicious injuries to cattle and machinery have been called black acts.
Black angel (Zool.), a fish of the West Indies and Florida (Holacanthus tricolor), with the head and tail yellow, and the middle of the body black.
Black antimony (Chem.), the black sulphide of antimony, Sb2S3, used in pyrotechnics, etc.
Black bear (Zool.), the common American bear (Ursus Americanus).
Black beast. See Bete noire. Black beetle (Zool.), the common large cockroach (Blatta orientalis).
Black bonnet (Zool.), the black-headed bunting (Embriza Schoeniclus) of Europe.
Black canker, a disease in turnips and other crops, produced by a species of caterpillar.
Black cat (Zool.), the fisher, a quadruped of North America allied to the sable, but larger. See Fisher. Black cattle, any bovine cattle reared for slaughter, in distinction from dairy cattle. (Eng.)
Black cherry. See under Cherry. Black cockatoo (Zool.), the palm cockatoo. See Cockatoo. Black copper. Same as Melaconite. Black currant. (Bot.) See Currant. Black diamond. (Min.) See Carbonado. Black draught (Med.), a cathartic medicine, composed of senna and magnesia.
Black drop (Med.), vinegar of opium; a narcotic preparation consisting essentially of a solution of opium in vinegar.
Black earth, mold; earth of a dark color.
Black flag, the flag of a pirate, often bearing in white a skull and crossbones; a signal of defiance.
Black flea (Zool.), a flea beetle (Haltica nemorum) injurious to turnips.
Black flux, a mixture of carbonate of potash and charcoal, obtained by deflagrating tartar with half its weight of niter.
Black Forest, a forest in Baden and Würtemburg, in Germany; a part of the ancient Hercynian forest.
Black game, or Black grouse. (Zool.) See Blackcock, Grouse, and Heath grouse. Black grass (Bot.), a grasslike rush of the species Juncus Gerardi, growing on salt marshes, and making good hay.
Black gum (Bot.), an American tree, the tupelo or pepperidge. See Tupelo. Black Hamburg (grape) (Bot.), a sweet and juicy variety of dark purple or "black" grape.
Black horse (Zool.), a fish of the Mississippi valley (Cycleptus elongatus), of the sucker family; the Missouri sucker.
Black lemur (Zool.), the Lemurniger of Madagascar; the acoumbo of the natives.
Black list, a list of persons who are for some reason thought deserving of censure or punishment; esp. a list of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, made for the protection of tradesmen or employers. See Blacklist, v. t. Black manganese (Chem.), the black oxide of manganese, MnO2.
Black Maria, the close wagon in which prisoners are carried to or from jail.
Black martin (Zool.), the chimney swift. See Swift. Black moss (Bot.), the common so-called long moss of the southern United States. See Tillandsia. Black oak. See under Oak. Black pigment, a very fine, light carbonaceous substance, or lampblack, prepared chiefly for the manufacture of printers' ink. It is obtained by burning common coal tar.
Black plate, sheet iron before it is tinned.
Black quarter, malignant anthrax with engorgement of a shoulder or quarter, etc., as of an ox.
Black rat (Zool.), one of the species of rats (Mus rattus), commonly infesting houses.
Black rent. See Blackmail, n., 3. Black rust, a disease of wheat, in which a black, moist matter is deposited in the fissures of the grain.
Black sheep, one in a family or company who is unlike the rest, and makes trouble.
Black silver. (Min.) See under Silver. Black and tan, black mixed or spotted with tan color or reddish brown; used in describing certain breeds of dogs.
Black tea. See under Tea. Black tin (Mining), tin ore (cassiterite), when dressed, stamped and washed, ready for smelting. It is in the form of a black powder, like fine sand.
Black walnut. See under Walnut. Black warrior (Zool.), an American hawk (Buteo Harlani).
Synonyms: Dark; murky; pitchy; inky; somber; dusky; gloomy; swart; Cimmerian; ebon; atrocious.
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