beeches

1 definition found

beeches - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Beech \Beech\, n.; pl. Beeches. [OE. beche, AS. b?ce; akin to
     D. beuk, OHG. buocha, G. buche, Icel. beyki, Dan. b["o]g, Sw.
     bok, Russ. buk, L. fagus, Gr. ? oak, ? to eat, Skr. bhaksh;
     the tree being named originally from the esculent fruit. See
     Book, and cf. 7th Buck, Buckwheat.] (Bot.)
     A tree of the genus Fagus.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: It grows to a large size, having a smooth bark and
           thick foliage, and bears an edible triangular nut, of
           which swine are fond. The Fagus sylvatica is the
           European species, and the Fagus ferruginea that of
           America.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Beech drops (Bot.), a parasitic plant which grows on the
        roots of beeches (Epiphegus Americana).
  
     Beech marten (Zool.), the stone marten of Europe (Mustela  foina
        ).
  
     Beech mast, the nuts of the beech, esp. as they lie under
        the trees, in autumn.
  
     Beech oil, oil expressed from the mast or nuts of the beech
        tree.
  
     Cooper beech, a variety of the European beech with
        copper-colored, shining leaves.
        [1913 Webster]