Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Laurel \Lau"rel\, n. [OE. lorel, laurer, lorer, OF. lorier,
laurier, F. laurier, (assumed) LL. Laurarius, fr. L. laurus.]
1. (Bot.) An evergreen shrub, of the genus {Laurus} ({L.
nobilis}), having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape,
with clusters of small, yellowish white flowers in their
axils; -- called also {sweet bay}.
Note: The fruit is a purple berry. It is found about the
Mediterranean, and was early used by the ancient Greeks
to crown the victor in the games of Apollo. At a later
period, academic honors were indicated by a crown of
laurel, with the fruit. The leaves and tree yield an
aromatic oil, used to flavor the bay water of commerce.
Note: The name is extended to other plants which in some
respect resemble the true laurel. See Phrases, below.
2. A crown of laurel; hence, honor; distinction; fame; --
especially in the plural; as, to win laurels.
3. An English gold coin made in 1619, and so called because
the king's head on it was crowned with laurel.
{Laurel water}, water distilled from the fresh leaves of the
cherry laurel, and containing prussic acid and other
products carried over in the process.
{American laurel}, or {Mountain laurel}, {Kalmia latifolia}.
See under {Mountain}.
{California laurel}, {Umbellularia Californica}.
{Cherry laurel} (in England called {laurel}). See under
{Cherry}.
{Great laurel}, the rosebay ({Rhododendron maximum}).
{Ground laurel}, trailing arbutus.
{New Zealand laurel}, {Laurelia Nov[ae] Zelandi[ae]}.
{Portugal laurel}, the {Prunus Lusitanica}.
{Rose laurel}, the oleander. See {Oleander}.
{Sheep laurel}, a poisonous shrub, {Kalmia angustifolia},
smaller than the mountain laurel, and with smaller and
redder flowers.
{Spurge laurel}, {Daphne Laureola}.
{West Indian laurel}, {Prunus occidentalis}.
Cherry \Cher"ry\, n. [OE. chery, for cherys, fr. F. cerise (cf.
AS. cyrs cherry), fr. LL. ceresia, fr. L. cerasus Cherry
tree, Gr. ?, perh. fr. ? horn, from the hardness of the
wood.]
1. (Bot.) A tree or shrub of the genus {Prunus} (Which also
includes the plum) bearing a fleshy drupe with a bony
stone;
(a) The common garden cherry ({Prunus Cerasus}), of which
several hundred varieties are cultivated for the
fruit, some of which are, the begarreau, blackheart,
black Tartarian, oxheart, morelle or morello, May-duke
(corrupted from M['e]doc in France).
(b) The wild cherry; as, {Prunus serotina} (wild black
cherry), valued for its timber; {P. Virginiana} (choke
cherry), an American shrub which bears astringent
fruit; {P. avium} and {P. Padus}, European trees (bird
cherry).
2. The fruit of the cherry tree, a drupe of various colors
and flavors.
3. The timber of the cherry tree, esp. of the black cherry,
used in cabinetmaking, etc.
4. A peculiar shade of red, like that of a cherry.
{Barbadoes cherry}. See under {Barbadoes}.
{Cherry bird} (Zo["o]l.), an American bird; the cedar bird;
-- so called from its fondness for cherries.
{Cherry bounce}, cherry brandy and sugar.
{Cherry brandy}, brandy in which cherries have been steeped.
{Cherry laurel} (Bot.), an evergreen shrub ({Prunus
Lauro-cerasus}) common in shrubberies, the poisonous
leaves of which have a flavor like that of bitter almonds.
{Cherry pepper} (Bot.), a species of {Capsicum} ({C.
cerasiforme}), with small, scarlet, intensely piquant
cherry-shaped fruit.
{Cherry pit}.
(a) A child's play, in which cherries are thrown into a
hole. --Shak.
(b) A cherry stone.
{Cherry rum}, rum in which cherries have been steeped.
{Cherry sucker} (Zo["o]l.), the European spotted flycatcher
({Musicapa grisola}); -- called also {cherry chopper}
{cherry snipe}.
{Cherry tree}, a tree that bears cherries.
{Ground cherry}, {Winter cherry}, See {Alkekengi}.
Source : WordNet®
cherry laurel
n 1: frequently cultivated Eurasian evergreen shrub or small tree
having showy clusters of white flowers and glossy
foliage and yielding oil similar to bitter almond oil
[syn: {laurel cherry}, {Prunus laurocerasus}]
2: small flowering evergreen tree of southern United States
[syn: {laurel cherry}, {mock orange}, {wild orange}, {Prunus
caroliniana}]