Ox n.; pl. Oxen Zool. The male of bovine quadrupeds, especially the domestic animal when castrated and grown to its full size, or nearly so. The word is also applied, as a general name, to any species of bovine animals, male and female.
All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field. --Ps. viii. 7.
Note: ☞ The castrated male is called a steer until it attains its full growth, and then, an ox; but if castrated somewhat late in life, it is called a stag. The male, not castrated, is called a bull. These distinctions are well established in regard to domestic animals of this genus. When wild animals of this kind are spoken of, ox is often applied both to the male and the female. The name ox is never applied to the individual cow, or female, of the domestic kind. Oxen may comprehend both the male and the female.
Grunting ox Zool., the yak.
Indian ox Zool., the zebu.
Javan ox Zool., the banteng.
Musk ox. Zool. See under Musk.
Ox bile. See Ox gall, below.
Ox gall, the fresh gall of the domestic ox; -- used in the arts and in medicine.
Ox pith, ox marrow. [Obs.] --Marston.
Ox ray Zool., a very large ray (Dicerobatis Giornae) of Southern Europe. It has a hornlike organ projecting forward from each pectoral fin. It sometimes becomes twenty feet long and twenty-eight feet broad, and weighs over a ton. Called also sea devil.
To have the black ox tread on one's foot, to be unfortunate; to know what sorrow is (because black oxen were sacrificed to Pluto). --Leigh Hunt.
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Ze·bu n. Zool. A bovine mammal (Ros Indicus) extensively domesticated in India, China, the East Indies, and East Africa. It usually has short horns, large pendulous ears, slender legs, a large dewlap, and a large, prominent hump over the shoulders; but these characters vary in different domestic breeds, which range in size from that of the common ox to that of a large mastiff.
Note: ☞ Some of the varieties are used as beasts of burden, and some fore for riding, while others are raised for their milk and flesh. The Brahmin bull, regarded as sacred by the Hindoos, also belongs to this species. The male is called also Indian bull, Indian ox, Madras ox, and sacred bull.
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In·di·an a.
1. Of or pertaining to India proper; also to the East Indies, or, sometimes, to the West Indies.
2. Of or pertaining to the aborigines, or Indians, of America; as, Indian wars; the Indian tomahawk.
3. Made of maize or Indian corn; as, Indian corn, Indian meal, Indian bread, and the like. [U.S.]
Indian bay Bot., a lauraceous tree (Persea Indica).
Indian bean Bot., a name of the catalpa.
Indian berry. Bot. Same as Cocculus indicus.
Indian bread. Bot. Same as Cassava.
Indian club, a wooden club, which is swung by the hand for gymnastic exercise.
Indian cordage, cordage made of the fibers of cocoanut husk.
Indian cress Bot., nasturtium. See Nasturtium, 2.
Indian cucumber Bot., a plant of the genus Medeola (Medeola Virginica), a common in woods in the United States. The white rootstock has a taste like cucumbers.
Indian currant Bot., a plant of the genus Symphoricarpus (Symphoricarpus vulgaris), bearing small red berries.
Indian dye, the puccoon.
Indian fig. Bot. (a) The banyan. See Banyan. (b) The prickly pear.
Indian file, single file; arrangement of persons in a row following one after another, the usual way among Indians of traversing woods, especially when on the war path.
Indian fire, a pyrotechnic composition of sulphur, niter, and realgar, burning with a brilliant white light.
Indian grass Bot., a coarse, high grass (Chrysopogon nutans), common in the southern portions of the United States; wood grass. --Gray.
Indian hemp. Bot. (a) A plant of the genus Apocynum (Apocynum cannabinum), having a milky juice, and a tough, fibrous bark, whence the name. The root it used in medicine and is both emetic and cathartic in properties. (b) The variety of common hemp (Cannabis Indica), from which hasheesh is obtained.
Indian mallow Bot., the velvet leaf (Abutilon Avicennæ). See Abutilon.
Indian meal, ground corn or maize. [U.S.]
Indian millet Bot., a tall annual grass (Sorghum vulgare), having many varieties, among which are broom corn, Guinea corn, durra, and the Chinese sugar cane. It is called also Guinea corn. See Durra.
Indian ox Zool., the zebu.
Indian paint. See Bloodroot.
Indian paper. See India paper, under India.
Indian physic Bot., a plant of two species of the genus Gillenia (Gillenia trifoliata, and Gillenia stipulacea), common in the United States, the roots of which are used in medicine as a mild emetic; -- called also American ipecac, and bowman's root. --Gray.
Indian pink. Bot. (a) The Cypress vine (Ipomœa Quamoclit); -- so called in the West Indies. (b) See China pink, under China.
Indian pipe Bot., a low, fleshy herb (Monotropa uniflora), growing in clusters in dark woods, and having scalelike leaves, and a solitary nodding flower. The whole plant is waxy white, but turns black in drying.
Indian plantain Bot., a name given to several species of the genus Cacalia, tall herbs with composite white flowers, common through the United States in rich woods. --Gray.
Indian poke Bot., a plant usually known as the white hellebore (Veratrum viride).
Indian pudding, a pudding of which the chief ingredients are Indian meal, milk, and molasses.
Indian purple. (a) A dull purple color. (b) The pigment of the same name, intensely blue and black.
Indian red. (a) A purplish red earth or pigment composed of a silicate of iron and alumina, with magnesia. It comes from the Persian Gulf. Called also Persian red. (b) See Almagra.
Indian rice Bot., a reedlike water grass. See Rice.
Indian shot Bot., a plant of the genus Canna (Canna Indica). The hard black seeds are as large as swan shot. See Canna.
Indian summer, in the United States, a period of warm and pleasant weather occurring late in autumn. See under Summer.
Indian tobacco Bot., a species of Lobelia. See Lobelia.
Indian turnip Bot., an American plant of the genus Arisæma. Arisæma triphyllum has a wrinkled farinaceous root resembling a small turnip, but with a very acrid juice. See Jack in the Pulpit, and Wake-robin.
Indian wheat, maize or Indian corn.
Indian yellow. (a) An intense rich yellow color, deeper than gamboge but less pure than cadmium. (b) See Euxanthin.