| Hessian | a. Of or relating to Hesse, in Germany, or to the Hessians. [ 1913 Webster ]
Hessian boots, or
Hessians, boot of a kind worn in England, in the early part of the nineteenth century, tasseled in front. Thackeray. --
Hessian cloth, or
Hessians, a coarse hempen cloth for sacking. --
Hessian crucible. See under Crucible. --
Hessian fly (Zool.), a small dipterous fly or midge (Cecidomyia destructor). Its larvae live between the base of the lower leaves and the stalk of wheat, and are very destructive to young wheat; -- so called from the erroneous idea that it was brought into America by the Hessian troops, during the Revolution. [ 1913 Webster ]
|
| Hessian | n. 1. A native or inhabitant of Hesse. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A mercenary or venal person. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ This use is a relic of the patriot hatred of the Hessian mercenaries who served with the British troops in the Revolutionary War. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. pl. See Hessian boots and cloth, under Hessian, a. [ 1913 Webster ] |
