DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Alm·ond n.
 1. The fruit of the almond tree.
 Note: ☞ The different kinds, as bitter, sweet, thin-shelled, thick-shelled almonds, and Jordan almonds, are the products of different varieties of the one species, Amygdalus communis, a native of the Mediterranean region and western Asia.
 2. The tree that bears the fruit; almond tree.
 3. Anything shaped like an almond. Specifically: Anat. One of the tonsils.
 Almond oil, fixed oil expressed from sweet or bitter almonds.
 Oil of bitter almonds, a poisonous volatile oil obtained from bitter almonds by maceration and distillation; benzoic aldehyde.
 Imitation oil of bitter almonds, nitrobenzene.
 Almond tree Bot., the tree bearing the almond.
 Almond willow Bot., a willow which has leaves that are of a light green on both sides; almond-leaved willow (Salix amygdalina).
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 Es·sen·tial a.
 1. Belonging to the essence, or that which makes an object, or class of objects, what it is.
    Majestic as the voice sometimes became, there was forever in it an essential character of plaintiveness.   --Hawthorne.
 2. Hence, really existing; existent.
 Is it true, that thou art but a name,
 And no essential thing?   --Webster (1623).
 3. Important in the highest degree; indispensable to the attainment of an object; indispensably necessary.
 Judgment's more essential to a general
 Than courage.   --Denham.
    How to live? -- that is the essential question for us.   --H. Spencer.
 4. Containing the essence or characteristic portion of a substance, as of a plant; highly rectified; pure; hence, unmixed; as, an essential oil. “Mine own essential horror.”
 5. Mus. Necessary; indispensable; -- said of those tones which constitute a chord, in distinction from ornamental or passing tones.
 6. Med. Idiopathic; independent of other diseases.
 Essential character Biol., the prominent characteristics which serve to distinguish one genus, species, etc., from another.
 Essential disease, Essential fever Med., one that is not dependent on another.
 Essential oils Chem., a class of volatile oils, extracted from plants, fruits, or flowers, having each its characteristic odor, and hot burning taste. They are used in essences, perfumery, etc., and include many varieties of compounds; as lemon oil is a terpene, oil of bitter almonds an aldehyde, oil of wintergreen an ethereal salt, etc.; -- called also volatile oils in distinction from the fixed or nonvolatile.