frostfish

4 definitions found

frostfish - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Frostfish \Frost`fish"\, n. (Zool.)
        (a) The tomcod; -- so called because it is abundant on the
            New England coast in autumn at about the commencement
            of frost. See Tomcod.
        (b) The smelt. [Local, U. S.]
        (c) A name applied in New Zealand to the scabbard fish
            (Lepidotus) valued as a food fish.
            [1913 Webster]

  Scabbard \Scab"bard\, n. [OE. scaubert, scauberk, OF. escaubers,
     escauberz, pl., scabbards, probably of German or Scan.
     origin; cf. Icel. sk[=a]lpr scabbard, and G. bergen to
     conceal. Cf. Hauberk.]
     The case in which the blade of a sword, dagger, etc., is
     kept; a sheath.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Nor in thy scabbard sheathe that famous blade.
                                                    --Fairfax.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Scabbard fish (Zool.), a long, compressed, silver-colored
        taenioid fish (Lepidopus argyreus syn. Lepidopus  caudatus
        ), found on the European coasts, and more
        abundantly about New Zealand, where it is called
        frostfish and considered an excellent food fish.
        [1913 Webster]

  Tomcod \Tom"cod`\ (t[o^]m"k[o^]d`), n. [Tom (see Tomboy) +
     cod: cf. F. tacaud whiting pout, American Indian tacaud,
     literally, plenty fish.] (Zool.)
     (a) A small edible American fish (Microgadus tomcod) of the
         Codfish family, very abundant in autumn on the Atlantic
         coast of the Northen United States; -- called also
         frostfish. See Illust. under Frostfish.
     (b) The kingfish. See Kingfish
     (a) .
     (c) The jack. See 2d Jack, 8.
     (c) .
         [1913 Webster]

  cutlass fish \cutlass fish\, cutlassfish \cutlassfish\n.
     1. (Zool.) a peculiar, long, thin, marine fish (Trichiurus  lepturus
        ) of the southern United States and West Indies,
        having a long whiplike scaleless body and sharp daggerlike
        teeth; -- called also frostfish, saber fish, silver  eel
        , and, improperly, swordfish; also, several related
        members of the genus Trichiurus. It is closely related
        to snake mackerel.
  
     Syn: frost fish, frostfish, hairtail.
          [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]