turnsole

2 definitions found

turnsole - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Turnsole \Turn"sole`\, n. [F. tournesol, It. tornasole; tornare
     to turn (LL. tornare) + sole the sun, L. sol. See Turn,
     Solar, a., and cf. Heliotrope.] [Written also turnsol.]
     1. (Bot.)
        (a) A plant of the genus Heliotropium; heliotrope; -- so
            named because its flowers are supposed to turn toward
            the sun.
        (b) The sunflower.
        (c) A kind of spurge (Euphorbia Helioscopia).
        (d) The euphorbiaceous plant Chrozophora tinctoria.
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     2. (Chem.)
        (a) Litmus. [Obs.]
        (b) A purple dye obtained from the plant turnsole. See
            def. 1
        (d) .
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  Heliotrope \He"li*o*trope\, n. [F. h['e]liotrope, L.
     heliotropium, Gr. ?; ? the sun + ? to turn, ? turn. See
     Heliacal, Trope.]
     1. (Anc. Astron.) An instrument or machine for showing when
        the sun arrived at the tropics and equinoctial line.
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     2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Heliotropium; -- called also
        turnsole and girasole. Heliotropium Peruvianum is
        the commonly cultivated species with fragrant flowers.
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     3. (Geodesy & Signal Service) An instrument for making
        signals to an observer at a distance, by means of the
        sun's rays thrown from a mirror.
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     4. (Min.) See Bloodstone
        (a) .
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     Heliotrope purple, a grayish purple color.
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