Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Wood \Wood\, n. [OE. wode, wude, AS. wudu, wiodu; akin to OHG.
   witu, Icel. vi?r, Dan. & Sw. ved wood, and probably to Ir. &
   Gael. fiodh, W. gwydd trees, shrubs.]
   1. A large and thick collection of trees; a forest or grove;
      -- frequently used in the plural.

            Light thickens, and the crow Makes wing to the rooky
            wood.                                 --Shak.

   2. The substance of trees and the like; the hard fibrous
      substance which composes the body of a tree and its
      branches, and which is covered by the bark; timber. ``To
      worship their own work in wood and stone for gods.''
      --Milton.

   3. (Bot.) The fibrous material which makes up the greater
      part of the stems and branches of trees and shrubby
      plants, and is found to a less extent in herbaceous stems.
      It consists of elongated tubular or needle-shaped cells of
      various kinds, usually interwoven with the shinning bands
      called silver grain.

   Note: Wood consists chiefly of the carbohydrates cellulose
         and lignin, which are isomeric with starch.

   4. Trees cut or sawed for the fire or other uses.

   {Wood acid}, {Wood vinegar} (Chem.), a complex acid liquid
      obtained in the dry distillation of wood, and containing
      large quantities of acetic acid; hence, specifically,
      acetic acid. Formerly called {pyroligneous acid}.

   {Wood anemone} (Bot.), a delicate flower ({Anemone nemorosa})
      of early spring; -- also called {windflower}. See Illust.
      of {Anemone}.

   {Wood ant} (Zo["o]l.), a large ant ({Formica rufa}) which
      lives in woods and forests, and constructs large nests.

   {Wood apple} (Bot.). See {Elephant apple}, under {Elephant}.
      

   {Wood baboon} (Zo["o]l.), the drill.

   {Wood betony}. (Bot.)
      (a) Same as {Betony}.
      (b) The common American lousewort ({Pedicularis
          Canadensis}), a low perennial herb with yellowish or
          purplish flowers.

   {Wood borer}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The larva of any one of numerous species of boring
          beetles, esp. elaters, longicorn beetles,
          buprestidans, and certain weevils. See {Apple borer},
          under {Apple}, and {Pine weevil}, under {Pine}.
      (b) The larva of any one of various species of
          lepidopterous insects, especially of the clearwing
          moths, as the peach-tree borer (see under {Peach}),
          and of the goat moths.
      (c) The larva of various species of hymenopterous of the
          tribe Urocerata. See {Tremex}.
      (d) Any one of several bivalve shells which bore in wood,
          as the teredos, and species of Xylophaga.
      (e) Any one of several species of small Crustacea, as the
          {Limnoria}, and the boring amphipod ({Chelura
          terebrans}).

   {Wood carpet}, a kind of floor covering made of thin pieces
      of wood secured to a flexible backing, as of cloth.
      --Knight.

   {Wood cell} (Bot.), a slender cylindrical or prismatic cell
      usually tapering to a point at both ends. It is the
      principal constituent of woody fiber.

   {Wood choir}, the choir, or chorus, of birds in the woods.
      [Poetic] --Coleridge.

   {Wood coal}, charcoal; also, lignite, or brown coal.

   {Wood cricket} (Zo["o]l.), a small European cricket
      ({Nemobius sylvestris}).

   {Wood culver} (Zo["o]l.), the wood pigeon.

   {Wood cut}, an engraving on wood; also, a print from such an
      engraving.

   {Wood dove} (Zo["o]l.), the stockdove.

   {Wood drink}, a decoction or infusion of medicinal woods.

   {Wood duck} (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) A very beautiful American duck ({Aix sponsa}). The
          male has a large crest, and its plumage is varied with
          green, purple, black, white, and red. It builds its
          nest in trees, whence the name. Called also {bridal
          duck}, {summer duck}, and {wood widgeon}.
      (b) The hooded merganser.
      (c) The Australian maned goose ({Chlamydochen jubata}).

   {Wood echo}, an echo from the wood.

   {Wood engraver}.
      (a) An engraver on wood.
      (b) (Zo["o]l.) Any of several species of small beetles
          whose larv[ae] bore beneath the bark of trees, and
          excavate furrows in the wood often more or less
          resembling coarse engravings; especially, {Xyleborus
          xylographus}.

   {Wood engraving}.
      (a) The act or art engraving on wood; xylography.
      (b) An engraving on wood; a wood cut; also, a print from
          such an engraving.

   {Wood fern}. (Bot.) See {Shield fern}, under {Shield}.

   {Wood fiber}.
      (a) (Bot.) Fibrovascular tissue.
      (b) Wood comminuted, and reduced to a powdery or dusty
          mass.

   {Wood fretter} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
      beetles whose larv[ae] bore in the wood, or beneath the
      bark, of trees.

   {Wood frog} (Zo["o]l.), a common North American frog ({Rana
      sylvatica}) which lives chiefly in the woods, except
      during the breeding season. It is drab or yellowish brown,
      with a black stripe on each side of the head.

   {Wood germander}. (Bot.) See under {Germander}.

   {Wood god}, a fabled sylvan deity.

   {Wood grass}. (Bot.) See under {Grass}.

   {Wood grouse}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The capercailzie.
      (b) The spruce partridge. See under {Spruce}.

   {Wood guest} (Zo["o]l.), the ringdove. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Wood hen}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) Any one of several species of Old World short-winged
          rails of the genus {Ocydromus}, including the weka and
          allied species.
      (b) The American woodcock.

   {Wood hoopoe} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of Old
      World arboreal birds belonging to {Irrisor} and allied
      genera. They are closely allied to the common hoopoe, but
      have a curved beak, and a longer tail.

   {Wood ibis} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of large,
      long-legged, wading birds belonging to the genus
      {Tantalus}. The head and neck are naked or scantily
      covered with feathers. The American wood ibis ({Tantalus
      loculator}) is common in Florida.

   {Wood lark} (Zo["o]l.), a small European lark ({Alauda
      arborea}), which, like, the skylark, utters its notes
      while on the wing. So called from its habit of perching on
      trees.

   {Wood laurel} (Bot.), a European evergreen shrub ({Daphne
      Laureola}).

   {Wood leopard} (Zo["o]l.), a European spotted moth ({Zeuzera
      [ae]sculi}) allied to the goat moth. Its large fleshy
      larva bores in the wood of the apple, pear, and other
      fruit trees.

   {Wood lily} (Bot.), the lily of the valley.

   {Wood lock} (Naut.), a piece of wood close fitted and
      sheathed with copper, in the throating or score of the
      pintle, to keep the rudder from rising.

   {Wood louse} (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) Any one of numerous species of terrestrial isopod
          Crustacea belonging to {Oniscus}, {Armadillo}, and
          related genera. See {Sow bug}, under Sow, and {Pill
          bug}, under {Pill}.
      (b) Any one of several species of small, wingless,
          pseudoneuropterous insects of the family {Psocid[ae]},
          which live in the crevices of walls and among old
          books and papers. Some of the species are called also
          {book lice}, and {deathticks}, or {deathwatches}.

   {Wood mite} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous small mites of
      the family {Oribatid[ae]}. They are found chiefly in
      woods, on tree trunks and stones.

   {Wood mote}. (Eng. Law)
      (a) Formerly, the forest court.
      (b) The court of attachment.

   {Wood nettle}. (Bot.) See under {Nettle}.

   {Wood nightshade} (Bot.), woody nightshade.

   {Wood nut} (Bot.), the filbert.

   {Wood nymph}. (a) A nymph inhabiting the woods; a fabled
      goddess of the woods; a dryad. ``The wood nymphs, decked
      with daisies trim.'' --Milton.
      (b) (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of handsomely
          colored moths belonging to the genus {Eudryas}. The
          larv[ae] are bright-colored, and some of the species,
          as {Eudryas grata}, and {E. unio}, feed on the leaves
          of the grapevine.
      (c) (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of handsomely
          colored South American humming birds belonging to the
          genus {Thalurania}. The males are bright blue, or
          green and blue.

   {Wood offering}, wood burnt on the altar.

            We cast the lots . . . for the wood offering. --Neh.
                                                  x. 34.

   {Wood oil} (Bot.), a resinous oil obtained from several East
      Indian trees of the genus {Dipterocarpus}, having
      properties similar to those of copaiba, and sometimes
      substituted for it. It is also used for mixing paint. See
      {Gurjun}.

   {Wood opal} (Min.), a striped variety of coarse opal, having
      some resemblance to wood.

   {Wood paper}, paper made of wood pulp. See {Wood pulp},
      below.

   {Wood pewee} (Zo["o]l.), a North American tyrant flycatcher
      ({Contopus virens}). It closely resembles the pewee, but
      is smaller.

   {Wood pie} (Zo["o]l.), any black and white woodpecker,
      especially the European great spotted woodpecker.

   {Wood pigeon}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) Any one of numerous species of Old World pigeons
          belonging to {Palumbus} and allied genera of the
          family {Columbid[ae]}.
      (b) The ringdove.

   {Wood puceron} (Zo["o]l.), a plant louse.

   {Wood pulp} (Technol.), vegetable fiber obtained from the
      poplar and other white woods, and so softened by digestion
      with a hot solution of alkali that it can be formed into
      sheet paper, etc. It is now produced on an immense scale.
      

   {Wood quail} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of East
      Indian crested quails belonging to {Rollulus} and allied
      genera, as the red-crested wood quail ({R. roulroul}), the
      male of which is bright green, with a long crest of red
      hairlike feathers.

   {Wood rabbit} (Zo["o]l.), the cottontail.

   {Wood rat} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of American
      wild rats of the genus {Neotoma} found in the Southern
      United States; -- called also {bush rat}. The Florida wood
      rat ({Neotoma Floridana}) is the best-known species.

   {Wood reed grass} (Bot.), a tall grass ({Cinna arundinacea})
      growing in moist woods.

   {Wood reeve}, the steward or overseer of a wood. [Eng.]

   {Wood rush} (Bot.), any plant of the genus {Luzula},
      differing from the true rushes of the genus {Juncus}
      chiefly in having very few seeds in each capsule.

   {Wood sage} (Bot.), a name given to several labiate plants of
      the genus {Teucrium}. See {Germander}.

   {Wood screw}, a metal screw formed with a sharp thread, and
      usually with a slotted head, for insertion in wood.

   {Wood sheldrake} (Zo["o]l.), the hooded merganser.

   {Wood shock} (Zo["o]l.), the fisher. See {Fisher}, 2.

   {Wood shrike} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of Old
      World singing birds belonging to {Grallina},
      {Collyricincla}, {Prionops}, and allied genera, common in
      India and Australia. They are allied to the true shrikes,
      but feed upon both insects and berries.

   {Wood snipe}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The American woodcock.
      (b) An Asiatic snipe ({Gallinago nemoricola}).

   {Wood soot}, soot from burnt wood.

   {Wood sore}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Cuckoo spit}, under {Cuckoo}.

   {Wood sorrel} (Bot.), a plant of the genus Oxalis ({Oxalis
      Acetosella}), having an acid taste. See Illust. (a) of
      {Shamrock}.

   {Wood spirit}. (Chem.) See {Methyl alcohol}, under {Methyl}.
      

   {Wood stamp}, a carved or engraved block or stamp of wood,
      for impressing figures or colors on fabrics.

   {Wood star} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of small
      South American humming birds belonging to the genus
      {Calothorax}. The male has a brilliant gorget of blue,
      purple, and other colors.

   {Wood sucker} (Zo["o]l.), the yaffle.

   {Wood swallow} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of Old
      World passerine birds belonging to the genus {Artamus} and
      allied genera of the family {Artamid[ae]}. They are common
      in the East Indies, Asia, and Australia. In form and
      habits they resemble swallows, but in structure they
      resemble shrikes. They are usually black above and white
      beneath.

   {Wood tapper} (Zo["o]l.), any woodpecker.

   {Wood tar}. See under {Tar}.

   {Wood thrush}, (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) An American thrush ({Turdus mustelinus}) noted for the
          sweetness of its song. See under {Thrush}.
      (b) The missel thrush.

   {Wood tick}. See in Vocabulary.

   {Wood tin}. (Min.). See {Cassiterite}.

   {Wood titmouse} (Zo["o]l.), the goldcgest.

   {Wood tortoise} (Zo["o]l.), the sculptured tortoise. See
      under {Sculptured}.

   {Wood vine} (Bot.), the white bryony.

   {Wood vinegar}. See {Wood acid}, above.

   {Wood warbler}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) Any one of numerous species of American warblers of
          the genus {Dendroica}. See {Warbler}.
      (b) A European warbler ({Phylloscopus sibilatrix}); --
          called also {green wren}, {wood wren}, and {yellow
          wren}.

   {Wood worm} (Zo["o]l.), a larva that bores in wood; a wood
      borer.

   {Wood wren}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) The wood warbler.
      (b) The willow warbler.

Rat \Rat\, n. [AS. r[ae]t; akin to D. rat, OHG. rato, ratta, G.
   ratte, ratze, OLG. ratta, LG. & Dan. rotte, Sw. r[*a]tta, F.
   rat, Ir. & Gael radan, Armor. raz, of unknown origin. Cf.
   {Raccoon}.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) One of the several species of small rodents of
      the genus {Mus} and allied genera, larger than mice, that
      infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway,
      or brown, rat ({M. Alexandrinus}). These were introduced
      into Anerica from the Old World.

   2. A round and tapering mass of hair, or similar material,
      used by women to support the puffs and rolls of their
      natural hair. [Local, U.S.]

   3. One who deserts his party or associates; hence, in the
      trades, one who works for lower wages than those
      prescribed by a trades union. [Cant]

   Note: ``It so chanced that, not long after the accession of
         the house of Hanover, some of the brown, that is the
         German or Norway, rats, were first brought over to this
         country (in some timber as is said); and being much
         stronger than the black, or, till then, the common,
         rats, they in many places quite extirpated the latter.
         The word (both the noun and the verb to rat) was first,
         as we have seen, leveled at the converts to the
         government of George the First, but has by degrees
         obtained a wide meaning, and come to be applied to any
         sudden and mercenary change in politics.'' --Lord
         Mahon.

   {Bamboo rat} (Zo["o]l.), any Indian rodent of the genus
      {Rhizomys}.

   {Beaver rat}, {Coast rat}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Beaver} and
      {Coast}.

   {Blind rat} (Zo["o]l.), the mole rat.

   {Cotton rat} (Zo["o]l.), a long-haired rat ({Sigmodon
      hispidus}), native of the Southern United States and
      Mexico. It makes its nest of cotton and is often injurious
      to the crop.

   {Ground rat}. See {Ground Pig}, under {Ground}.

   {Hedgehog rat}. See under {Hedgehog}.

   {Kangaroo rat} (Zo["o]l.), the potoroo.

   {Norway rat} (Zo["o]l.), the common brown rat. See {Rat}.

   {Pouched rat}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) See {Pocket Gopher}, under {Pocket}.
      (b) Any African rodent of the genus {Cricetomys}.

   {Rat Indians} (Ethnol.), a tribe of Indians dwelling near
      Fort Ukon, Alaska. They belong to Athabascan stock.

   {Rat mole}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Mole rat}, under {Mole}.

   {Rat pit}, an inclosed space into which rats are put to be
      killed by a dog for sport.

   {Rat snake} (Zo["o]l.), a large colubrine snake ({Ptyas
      mucosus}) very common in India and Ceylon. It enters
      dwellings, and destroys rats, chickens, etc.

   {Spiny rat} (Zo["o]l.), any South America rodent of the genus
      {Echinomys}.

   {To smell a rat}. See under {Smell}.

   {Wood rat} (Zo["o]l.), any American rat of the genus
      {Neotoma}, especially {N. Floridana}, common in the
      Southern United States. Its feet and belly are white.

Source : WordNet®

wood rat
     n : any of various small short-tailed rodents of the northern
         hemisphere having soft fur gray above and white below
         with well-furred tails and large ears; some are hosts for
         Ixodes pacificus and Ixodes scapularis (Lyme disease
         ticks) [syn: {wood-rat}]