carry off the palm

Variant of palm

palm definition

palm (päm)

noun

  1. any of an order (Arecales) of tropical or subtropical monocotyledonous trees and shrubs, having a woody, usually unbranched, trunk and large, evergreen, featherlike or fan-shaped leaves growing in a bunch at the top
  2. a leaf of such a tree carried or worn as a symbol of victory, triumph, joy, etc.
  3. victory; triumph
  4. a representation of a palm leaf or frond given in lieu of a second award of the same military decoration

Etymology: ME palme < OE palm < L palma: so named because its leaf somewhat resembles the palm of the hand

adjective

designating the only family (Arecaceae) of palms, including the coconut palm, betel palm, and date palm

Related Forms:

  • palmaceous pal·ma′·ceous (pal mā′s̸həs, pä-) adjective
palm Idioms

bear the palm

or carry off the palm
to be the winner; take the prize

yield the palm to

to acknowledge the superiority of; admit to defeat by

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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