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chestnut Definition

chest·nut (c̸hes′nut′, c̸hest′-)

noun

  1. the smooth-shelled, sweet, edible nut of any of a genus (Castanea) of trees of the beech family
  2. the tree that it grows on
  3. the wood of this tree
  4. horse chestnut
  5. reddish brown
  6. a reddish-brown horse
  7. the hard callus on the inner side of a horse's leg
  8. ☆ Informal
    1. an old, stale joke or phrase; cliché
    2. 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

chestnut Idioms

pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire

Etymology: cf. cat's-paw

to do a dangerous, hard, or unpleasant thing for someone else

chestnut Usage Examples

Converse 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.
chestnut Quotes

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?

—Yeats,W(illiam) B(utler)

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.

—Hardy,Thomas

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.

—Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth