cudbear

2 definitions found

cudbear - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Cudbear \Cud"bear`\ (k?d"b?r`), n. [Also cudbeard, corrupted
     fr. the name of Dr. Cuthbert Gordon, a Scotchman, who first
     brought it into notice.]
     1. A powder of a violet red color, difficult to moisten with
        water, used for making violet or purple dye. It is
        prepared from certain species of lichen, especially
        Lecanora tartarea. --Ure.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) A lichen (Lecanora tartarea), from which the
        powder is obtained.
        [1913 Webster]

cudbear - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  cudbear
      n 1: a purplish dye obtained from orchil lichens [syn: orchil,
           archil, cudbear]