Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Gentian \Gen"tian\, n. [OE. genciane, F. gentiane, L. gentiana,
   fr. Gentius, an Illyrian king, said to have discovered its
   properties.] (Bot.)
   Any one of a genus ({Gentiana}) of herbaceous plants with
   opposite leaves and a tubular four- or five-lobed corolla,
   usually blue, but sometimes white, yellow, or red. See
   Illust. of {Capsule}.

   Note: Many species are found on the highest mountains of
         Europe, Asia, and America, and some are prized for
         their beauty, as the Alpine ({Gentiana verna},
         {Bavarica}, and {excisa}), and the American fringed
         gentians ({G. crinita} and {G. detonsa}). Several are
         used as tonics, especially the bitter roots of
         {Gentiana lutea}, the officinal gentian of the
         pharmacop[oe]ias.

   {Horse gentian}, fever root.

   {Yellow gentian} (Bot.), the officinal gentian ({Gentiana
      lutea}). See {Bitterwort}.



   {Horse emmet} (Zo["o]l.), the horse ant.

   {Horse finch} (Zo["o]l.), the chaffinch. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Horse gentian} (Bot.), fever root.

   {Horse iron} (Naut.), a large calking iron.

   {Horse latitudes}, a space in the North Atlantic famous for
      calms and baffling winds, being between the westerly winds
      of higher latitudes and the trade winds. --Ham. Nav.
      Encyc.

   {Horse mackrel}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The common tunny ({Orcynus thunnus}), found on the
          Atlantic coast of Europe and America, and in the
          Mediterranean.
      (b) The bluefish ({Pomatomus saltatrix}).
      (c) The scad.
      (d) The name is locally applied to various other fishes,
          as the California hake, the black candlefish, the
          jurel, the bluefish, etc.

   {Horse marine} (Naut.), an awkward, lubbery person; one of a
      mythical body of marine cavalry. [Slang]

   {Horse mussel} (Zo["o]l.), a large, marine mussel ({Modiola
      modiolus}), found on the northern shores of Europe and
      America.

   {Horse nettle} (Bot.), a coarse, prickly, American herb, the
      {Solanum Carolinense}.

   {Horse parsley}. (Bot.) See {Alexanders}.

   {Horse purslain} (Bot.), a coarse fleshy weed of tropical
      America ({Trianthema monogymnum}).

   {Horse race}, a race by horses; a match of horses in running
      or trotting.

   {Horse racing}, the practice of racing with horses.

   {Horse railroad}, a railroad on which the cars are drawn by
      horses; -- in England, and sometimes in the United States,
      called a {tramway}.

   {Horse run} (Civil Engin.), a device for drawing loaded
      wheelbarrows up an inclined plane by horse power.

   {Horse sense}, strong common sense. [Colloq. U.S.]

   {Horse soldier}, a cavalryman.

   {Horse sponge} (Zo["o]l.), a large, coarse, commercial sponge
      ({Spongia equina}).

   {Horse stinger} (Zo["o]l.), a large dragon fly. [Prov. Eng.]
      

   {Horse sugar} (Bot.), a shrub of the southern part of the
      United States ({Symplocos tinctoria}), whose leaves are
      sweet, and good for fodder.

   {Horse tick} (Zo["o]l.), a winged, dipterous insect
      ({Hippobosca equina}), which troubles horses by biting
      them, and sucking their blood; -- called also {horsefly},
      {horse louse}, and {forest fly}.

   {Horse vetch} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Hippocrepis} ({H.
      comosa}), cultivated for the beauty of its flowers; --
      called also {horsehoe vetch}, from the peculiar shape of
      its pods.

   {Iron horse}, a locomotive. [Colloq.]

   {Salt horse}, the sailor's name for salt beef.

   {To look a gift horse in the mouth}, to examine the mouth of
      a horse which has been received as a gift, in order to
      ascertain his age; -- hence, to accept favors in a
      critical and thankless spirit. --Lowell.

   {To take horse}.
      (a) To set out on horseback. --Macaulay.
      (b) To be covered, as a mare.
      (c) See definition 7 (above).

Source : WordNet®

horse gentian
     n : coarse weedy American perennial herb with large usually
         perfoliate leaves and purple or dull red flowers [syn: {feverroot},
          {tinker's root}, {wild coffee}, {Triostium perfoliatum}]