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chestnut

chestnut definition

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
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