chestnut
chest·nut (c̸hes′nut′, c̸hest′-)
noun
- the smooth-shelled, sweet, edible nut of any of a genus (Castanea) of trees of the beech family
- the tree that it grows on
- the wood of this tree
- horse chestnut
- reddish brown
- a reddish-brown horse
- the hard callus on the inner side of a horse's leg
- ☆ Informal
- an old, stale joke or phrase; cliché
- a very familiar story, piece of music, etc. that is too often repeated
Etymology: < chesten-nut < ME chesteine < OFr chastaigne < L castanea < Gr kastaneia
adjective
reddish-brown
pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire
Etymology: cf. cat's-paw
to do a dangerous, hard, or unpleasant thing for someone elseConverse of object
- roast: They have a creamy flesh with a sweet flavor that is similar to squash or roasted chestnuts.
- peel: Sierra Rica, based near ancient, organic chestnut woods in southern Spain, sells cooked and peeled chestnuts in jars.
- pull: Russia was not going to ` pull the chestnuts out of the fire ' for anyone.
- collect: Nobody really knew why they were collecting horse chestnuts.
Adjective modifier
- sweet: The shank is sweet chestnut with the bark stripped off.
- old: First, the old chestnut - is there a ' middle Scotland?
- Spanish: One is a Spanish chestnut said to be over 300 yrs old ' .
- rich: A lock of his hair lay across his shoulder, a soft rich chestnut.
- hot: Archaeoastronomy, shamanic straight paths, and other ' hot chestnuts ' of EM reveal further myth-making in progress.
- warm: Withhold Certificates or First Prizes in Kitten Open Classes for: Color not rich warm chestnut brown to the roots.
Modifies a noun
- gelding: William Smith a gypsy, charged with stealing a chestnut gelding from the Rev Buck at Lavenham.
- paling: Sand has been trapped using a series of wind breaks in the form of chestnut palings.
- coppice: Further along the main path, the firs give way to reveal sweet chestnut coppice.
- mare: Vicky is a 13.2hh, 31 year old, Section B, liver chestnut mare.
- stuffing: How I love the flavor of intelligent sea mammal with a chestnut stuffing...
- puree: Mont Blanc, something of an experience, is meringue covered in chestnut purée and whipped cream.
Noun used with modifier
- horse: A grove of horse chestnut trees may become an asset too valuable for small boys to plunder!
- roast: In the winter, cheerful street vendors roast chestnuts over coal braziers.
- liver: Vicky is a 13.2hh, 31 year old, Section B, liver chestnut mare.
- water: Thai cuisine often features fresh salad leaves, together with water chestnuts, herbs and nuts combined with spicy poultry or fish.
O chestnut tree, great-rooted blossomer, Are you the leaf, the blossom, or the bole? O body swayed to music,O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?
This is the weather the cuckoo likes, And so do I; When showers betumble the chestnut spikes, And nestlings fly: And the little brown nightingale bills his best, And they sit outside at 'TheTravellers' Rest', And maids come forth sprig-muslin drest, And citizens dream of the south and west, And so do I.
Under a spreading chestnut-tree The village smithy stands; The smith a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands; And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands.
Browse dictionary entries near chestnut
- Chesterton
- chesterfield
- Chester White
- Chester
- chested
- chest register
- chest-on-chest
- chest of drawers
- chest
- chessman
- chestnut blight
- chesty
- chetah
- cheth
- chetrum
- Chetumal
- cheval-de-frise
- cheval glass
- chevalier
- chevelure
