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Xylology

The branch of dendrology treating of the gross and minute structure of wood.

Xylophaga

A genus of marine bivalves which bore holes in wood. They are allied to Pholas.

Xylophagan

One of a tribe of beetles whose larvae bore or live in wood. Any species of Xylophaga. Any one of the Xylophagides.

Xylophagides

A tribe or family of dipterous flies whose larvae live in decayed wood. Some of the tropical species are very large.

Xylophagous

Eating, boring in, or destroying, wood; -- said especially of certain insect larvae, crustaceans, and mollusks. Of or pertaining to the genus Xylophaga.

Xylophilan

One of a tribe of beetles (Xylophili) whose larvae live on decayed wood.

Xyloplastic

Formed of wood pulp by molds; relating to casts made of wood pulp in molds.

Xylopyrography

The art or practice of burning pictures on wood with a hot iron; -- called also wood burning and poker painting. See Poker picture, under Poker.

Xyloquinone

Any one of a group of quinone compounds obtained respectively by the oxidation of certain xylidine compounds. In general they are yellow crystalline substances.

Xylorcin

A derivative of xylene obtained as a white crystalline substance which on exposure in the air becomes red; -- called also betaorcin.

Xylose

An unfermentable sugar of the pentose class, C5H10O5, formed by the hydrolysis of xylan; wood sugar.

Xylostein

A glucoside found in the poisonous berries of a species of honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum), and extracted as a bitter, white, crystalline substance.

Xylotomous

Capable of boring or cutting wood; -- said of many insects.

Xylotomy

Art of preparing sections (transverse, tangential, or radial) of wood, esp. by means of a microtome, for microscopic examination.

Xylotrya

A genus of marine bivalves closely allied to Teredo, and equally destructive to timber. One species (Xylotrya fimbriata) is very common on the Atlantic coast of the United States.

Xylyl

Any one of three metameric radicals which are characteristic respectively of the three xylenes.

Xylylene

Any one of three metameric radicals, CH2.C6H4.CH2, derived respectively from the three xylenes. Often used adjectively; as, xylylene alcohol.

Xyridaceous

Of or pertaining to a natural order (Xyrideae) of endogenous plants, of which Xyris is the type.

Xyris

A genus of endogenous herbs with grassy leaves and small yellow flowers in short, scaly-bracted spikes; yellow-eyed grass. There are about seventeen species in the Atlantic United States.

Xystarch

An officer having the superintendence of the xyst.

Xyster

An instrument for scraping bones.

Xystus Xyst

A long and open portico, for athletic exercises, as wrestling, running, etc., for use in winter or in stormy weather.

Yacare

A South American crocodilian (Jacare sclerops) resembling the alligator in size and habits. The eye orbits are connected together, and surrounded by prominent bony ridges. Called also spectacled alligator, and spectacled cayman.

Yacca

A West Indian name for two large timber trees (Podocarpus coriaceus, and Podocarpus Purdicanus) of the Yew family. The wood, which is much used, is pale brownish with darker streaks.

Yacht

To manage a yacht; to voyage in a yacht.

Yachter

One engaged in sailing a yacht.

Yachting

Sailing for pleasure in a yacht.

Yachtsman

One who owns or sails a yacht; a yachter.

Yaf

Gave. See Give.

Yaffle

The European green woodpecker (Picus viridis syn. Genius viridis). It is noted for its loud laughlike note. Called also eccle, hewhole, highhoe, laughing bird, popinjay, rain bird, yaffil, yaffler, yaffingale, yappingale, yackel, and woodhack.

Yager

In the German army, one belonging to a body of light infantry armed with rifles, resembling the chasseur of the French army.

yahoo

One of a race of filthy brutes resembling men but subject to the Houyhnhnms in Swift's /Gulliver's Travels./ See in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.

Yahwe Yahweh Jahve Jahveh

A modern transliteration of the Hebrew word translated Jehovah in the Bible; -- used by some critics to discriminate the tribal god of the ancient Hebrews from the Christian Jehovah. Yahweh or Yahwe is the spelling now generally adopted by scholars.

Yahwism Jahvism

The religion or worship of Yahweh (Jehovah), or the system of doctrines, etc., connected with it.

Yahwist Jehovist Jahwist Jahvist

The author of the passages of the Old Testament, esp. those of the Hexateuch, in which God is styled Yahweh, or Jehovah; the author of the Yahwistic, or Jehovistic, Prophetic Document (J); also, the document itself.

Yak

A bovine mammal (Poephagus grunnies) native of the high plains of Central Asia. Its neck, the outer side of its legs, and its flanks, are covered with long, flowing, fine hair. Its tail is long and bushy, often white, and is valued as an ornament and for other purposes in India and China. There are several domesticated varieties, some of which lack the mane and the long hair on the flanks. Called also chauri gua, grunting cow, grunting ox, sarlac, sarlik, and sarluc.

Yakin

A large Asiatic antelope (Budorcas taxicolor) native of the higher parts of the Himalayas and other lofty mountains. Its head and neck resemble those of the ox, and its tail is like that of the goat. Called also budorcas.

Yakoots

(Ethnol.) A nomadic Mongolian tribe native of Northern Siberia, and supposed to be of Turkish stock. They are mainly pastoral in their habits.

Yaksha

A kind of demigod attendant on Kuvera, the god of wealth.

Yakut

The Turkish language of the Yakuts, a Mongolian people of northeastern Siberia, which is lingua franca over much of eastern Siberia.

Yalah

The oil of the mahwa tree.

Yalu

A river in eastern Asia, which rises in North Korea and flows southwest to Korea Bay (forming part of the border between North Korea and China).

Yam

A large, esculent, farinaceous tuber of various climbing plants of the genus Dioscorea; also, the plants themselves. Mostly natives of warm climates. The plants have netted-veined, petioled leaves, and pods with three broad wings. The commonest species is Dioscorea sativa, but several others are cultivated.

Yama

The king of the infernal regions, corresponding to the Greek Pluto, and also the judge of departed souls. In later times he is more exclusively considered the dire judge of all, and the tormentor of the wicked. He is represented as of a green color, with red garments, having a crown on his head, his eyes inflamed, and sitting on a buffalo, with a club and noose in his hands.

Yamen

In China, the official headquarters or residence of a mandarin, including court rooms, offices, gardens, prisons, etc.; the place where the business of any public department is transcated.

Yamp

An umbelliferous plant (Carum Gairdneri); also, its small fleshy roots, which are eaten by the Indians from Idaho to California.

Yang

To make the cry of the wild goose.

yang

One of the two fundamental principles. See yin and yang.

Yangtze

a major river of Asia, which flows into the East China Sea.

Yank

An abbreviation of Yankee.

Yankee

Of or pertaining to a Yankee; characteristic of the Yankees.

Yankee-Doodle

The name of a tune adopted popularly as one of the national airs of the United States.

Yankeeism

A Yankee idiom, word, custom, or the like.

Yaourt

A fermented drink, or milk beer, made by the Turks.

Yap

A bark; a yelp.

Yapock

A South American aquatic opossum (Chironectes variegatus) found in Guiana and Brazil. Its hind feet are webbed, and its fore feet do not have an opposable thumb for climbing. Called also water opossum.

Yarage

The power of moving, or being managed, at sea; -- said with reference to a ship.

Yard

To confine (cattle) to the yard; to shut up, or keep, in a yard; as, to yard cows.

Yardarm

Either half of a square-rigged vessel's yard{6}, from the center or mast to the end.

Yardful

As much as a yard will contain; enough to fill a yard.

yardie

A member of an international gang of Jamaican criminals who sell drugs and violence.

Yardland

A measure of land of uncertain quantity, varying from fifteen to forty acres; a virgate.

yardline

Any of the lines parallel to the goal lines indicating distance from the goal line on a football the field; as, the twenty-five yardline.

Yardstick

A stick three feet, or a yard, in length, used as a measure of distance, cloth, etc.

yare

Ready; dexterous; eager; lively; quick to move.

Yarnen

Made of yarn; consisting of yarn.

Yarr

To growl or snarl as a dog.

Yarrow

An American and European composite plant (Achillea Millefolium) with very finely dissected leaves and small white corymbed flowers. It has a strong, and somewhat aromatic, odor and taste, and is sometimes used in making beer, or is dried for smoking. Called also milfoil, and nosebleed.

Yarwhip

The European bar-tailed godwit; -- called also yardkeep, and yarwhelp. See Godwit.

yashmak

the face veil worn by Muslim women.

Yataghan

A long knife, or short saber, common among Mohammedan nations, usually having a double curve, sometimes nearly straight.

Yate

A gate. See 1st Gate.

Yaup

To cry out like a child; to yelp.

Yauper

One who, or that which, yaups.

Yaupon

A shrub (Ilex Cassine) of the Holly family, native from Virginia to Florida. The smooth elliptical leaves are used as a substitute for tea, and were formerly used in preparing the black drink of the Indians of North Carolina. Called also South-Sea tea.

Yautia

In Puerto Rico, any of several araceous plants or their starchy edible roots, which are cooked and eaten like yams or potatoes, as the taro.

Yaw

A movement of a vessel by which she temporarily alters her course; a deviation from a straight course in steering.

Yaw-weed

A low, shrubby, rubiaceous plant (Morinda Royoc) growing along the seacoast of the West Indies. It has small, white, odorous flowers.

yawd

A jade; an old horse or mare.

yawl

A small ship's boat, usually rowed by four or six oars.

Yawl

To cry out like a dog or cat; to howl; to yell.

Yawl-rigged

Having two masts with fore-and-aft sails, but differing from a schooner in that the after mast is very small, and stepped as far aft as possible. See Illustration in Appendix.

Yawn

An involuntary act, excited by drowsiness, etc., consisting of a deep and long inspiration following several successive attempts at inspiration, the mouth, fauces, etc., being wide open.

Yaws

A disease, occurring in the Antilles and in Africa, characterized by yellowish or reddish tumors, of a contagious character, which, in shape and appearance, often resemble currants, strawberries, or raspberries. There are several varieties of this disease, variously known as framboesia, pian, verrugas, and crab-yaws.

Ycleped

Called; named; -- obsolete, except in archaic or humorous writings.

Ye

Yea; yes.

Yea

An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative; as, a vote by yeas and nays.

Yead

Properly, a variant of the defective imperfect yode, but sometimes mistaken for a present. See the Note under Yede.

Yean

To bring forth young, as a goat or a sheep; to ean.

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