| Herb | n. [ OE. herbe, erbe, OF. herbe, erbe, F. herbe, L. herba; perh. akin to Gr. forbh` food, pasture, fe`rbein to feed. ] 1. A plant whose stem does not become woody and permanent, but dies, at least down to the ground, after flowering. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ Annual herbs live but one season; biennial herbs flower the second season, and then die; perennial herbs produce new stems year after year. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Grass; herbage. [ 1913 Webster ] And flocks
Grazing the tender herb. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
Herb bennet. (Bot.) See Bennet. --
Herb Christopher (Bot.), an herb (Actaea spicata), whose root is used in nervous diseases; the baneberry. The name is occasionally given to other plants, as the royal fern, the wood betony, etc. --
Herb Gerard (Bot.), the goutweed; -- so called in honor of St. Gerard, who used to be invoked against the gout. Dr. Prior. --
Herb grace, or
Herb of grace. (Bot.) See Rue. --
Herb Margaret (Bot.), the daisy. See Marguerite. --
Herb Paris (Bot.), an Old World plant related to the trillium (Paris quadrifolia), commonly reputed poisonous. --
Herb Robert (Bot.), a species of Geranium (Geranium Robertianum.) [ 1913 Webster ]
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| Herbaceous | a. [ L. herbaceus grassy. See Herb. ] Of or pertaining to herbs; having the nature, texture, or characteristics, of an herb; as, herbaceous plants; an herbaceous stem. [ 1913 Webster ] |
