DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 King, n.
 1. A chief ruler; a sovereign; one invested with supreme authority over a nation, country, or tribe, usually by hereditary succession; a monarch; a prince. “Ay, every inch a king.”
    Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle.   --Burke.
    There was a State without king or nobles.   --R. Choate.
 But yonder comes the powerful King of Day,
 Rejoicing in the east   --Thomson.
 2. One who, or that which, holds a supreme position or rank; a chief among competitors; as, a railroad king; a money king; the king of the lobby; the king of beasts.
 3. A playing card having the picture of a {king1}; as, the king of diamonds.
 4. The chief piece in the game of chess.
 5. A crowned man in the game of draughts.
 6. pl. The title of two historical books in the Old Testament.
 Note: ☞ King is often used adjectively, or in combination, to denote preëminence or superiority in some particular; as, kingbird; king crow; king vulture.
 Apostolic king. See Apostolic.
 King-at-arms, or King-of-arms, the chief heraldic officer of a country. In England the king-at-arms was formerly of great authority. His business is to direct the heralds, preside at their chapters, and have the jurisdiction of armory.  There are three principal kings-at-arms, viz., Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy. The latter (literally north roy or north king) officiates north of the Trent.
 King auk Zool., the little auk or sea dove.
 King bird of paradise. Zool., See Bird of paradise.
 King card, in whist, the best unplayed card of each suit; thus, if the ace and king of a suit have been played, the queen is the king card of the suit.
 King Cole , a legendary king of Britain, who is said to have reigned in the third century.
 King conch Zool., a large and handsome univalve shell (Cassis cameo), found in the West Indies. It is used for making cameos. See Helmet shell, under Helmet.
 King Cotton, a popular personification of the great staple production of the southern United States.
 King crab. Zool. (a) The limulus or horseshoe crab. See Limulus. (b) The large European spider crab or thornback (Maia squinado). (c) A large crab of the northern Pacific (Paralithodes camtshatica), especially abundant on the coasts of Alaska and Japan, and popular as a food; called also Alaskan king crab.
 King crow. Zool. (a) A black drongo shrike (Buchanga atra) of India; -- so called because, while breeding, they attack and drive away hawks, crows, and other large birds. (b) The Dicrurus macrocercus of India, a crested bird with a long, forked tail. Its color is black, with green and blue reflections. Called also devil bird.
 King duck Zool., a large and handsome eider duck (Somateria spectabilis), inhabiting the arctic regions of both continents.
 King eagle Zool., an eagle (Aquila heliaca) found in Asia and Southeastern Europe. It is about as large as the golden eagle. Some writers believe it to be the imperial eagle of Rome.
 King hake Zool., an American hake (Phycis regius), found in deep water along the Atlantic coast.
 King monkey Zool., an African monkey (Colobus polycomus), inhabiting Sierra Leone.
 King mullet Zool., a West Indian red mullet (Upeneus maculatus); -- so called on account of its great beauty. Called also goldfish.
 King of terrors, death.
 King parrakeet Zool., a handsome Australian parrakeet (Platycercys scapulatus), often kept in a cage. Its prevailing color is bright red, with the back and wings bright green, the rump blue, and tail black.
 King penguin Zool., any large species of penguin of the genus Aptenodytes; esp., Aptenodytes longirostris, of the Falkland Islands and Kerguelen Land, and Aptenodytes Patagonica, of Patagonia.
 King rail Zool., a small American rail (Rallus elegans), living in fresh-water marshes. The upper parts are fulvous brown, striped with black; the breast is deep cinnamon color.
 King salmon Zool., the quinnat. See Quinnat.
 King's counsel, or Queen's counsel Eng. Law, barristers learned in the law, who have been called within the bar, and selected to be the king's or queen's counsel. They answer in some measure to the advocates of the revenue (advocati fisci) among the Romans. They can not be employed against the crown without special license. --Wharton's Law Dict.
 King's cushion, a temporary seat made by two persons crossing their hands. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
 The king's English, correct or current language of good speakers; pure English. --Shak.
 King's evidence or Queen's evidence, testimony in favor of the Crown by a witness who confesses his guilt as an accomplice. See under Evidence. [Eng.]
 King's evil, scrofula; -- so called because formerly supposed to be healed by the touch of a king.
 King snake Zool., a large, nearly black, harmless snake (Ophiobolus getulus) of the Southern United States; -- so called because it kills and eats other kinds of snakes, including even the rattlesnake.
 King's spear Bot., the white asphodel (Asphodelus albus).
 King's yellow, a yellow pigment, consisting essentially of sulphide and oxide of arsenic; -- called also yellow orpiment.
 King tody Zool., a small fly-catching bird (Eurylaimus serilophus) of tropical America. The head is adorned with a large, spreading, fan-shaped crest, which is bright red, edged with black.
 King vulture Zool., a large species of vulture (Sarcorhamphus papa), ranging from Mexico to Paraguay, The general color is white. The wings and tail are black, and the naked carunculated head and the neck are briliantly colored with scarlet, yellow, orange, and blue. So called because it drives away other vultures while feeding.
 King wood, a wood from Brazil, called also violet wood, beautifully streaked in violet tints, used in turning and small cabinetwork. The tree is probably a species of Dalbergia. See Jacaranda.

 Marsh n.  A tract of soft wet land, commonly covered partially or wholly with water; a fen; a swamp; a morass. [Written also marish.]
 Marsh asphodel Bot., a plant (Nartheeium ossifragum) with linear equitant leaves, and a raceme of small white flowers; -- called also bog asphodel.
 Marsh cinquefoil Bot., a plant (Potentilla palustris) having purple flowers, and found growing in marshy places; marsh five-finger.
 Marsh elder. Bot. (a) The guelder-rose or cranberry tree (Viburnum Opulus). (b) In the United States, a composite shrub growing in salt marshes (Iva frutescens).
 Marsh five-finger. Bot. See Marsh cinquefoil (above).
 Marsh gas. Chem. See under Gas.
 Marsh grass Bot., a genus (Spartina) of coarse grasses growing in marshes; -- called also cord grass.  The tall Spartina cynosuroides is not good for hay unless cut very young. The low Spartina juncea is a common component of salt hay.
 Marsh harrier Zool., a European hawk or harrier (Circus aeruginosus); -- called also marsh hawk, moor hawk, moor buzzard, puttock.
 Marsh hawk. Zool. (a) A hawk or harrier (Circus cyaneus), native of both America and Europe. The adults are bluish slate above, with a white rump. Called also hen harrier, and mouse hawk. (b) The marsh harrier.
 Marsh hen Zool., a rail; esp., Rallus elegans of fresh-water marshes, and Rallus longirostris of salt-water marshes.
 Marsh mallow Bot., a plant of the genus Althaea ( Althaea officinalis) common in marshes near the seashore, and whose root is much used in medicine as a demulcent.
 Marsh marigold. Bot. See in the Vocabulary.
 Marsh pennywort Bot., any plant of the umbelliferous genus Hydrocotyle; low herbs with roundish leaves, growing in wet places; -- called also water pennywort.
 Marsh quail Zool., the meadow lark.
 Marsh rosemary Bot., a plant of the genus Statice (Statice Limonium), common in salt marshes. Its root is powerfully astringent, and is sometimes used in medicine. Called also sea lavender.
 Marsh samphire Bot., a plant (Salicornia herbacea) found along seacoasts. See Glasswort.
 Marsh St. John's-wort Bot., an American herb (Elodes Virginica) with small opposite leaves and flesh-colored flowers.
 Marsh tea. Bot.. Same as Labrador tea.
 Marsh trefoil. Bot. Same as Buckbean.
 Marsh wren Zool., any species of small American wrens of the genus Cistothorus, and allied genera.  They chiefly inhabit salt marshes.
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 Rail, n.  Zool. Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds of the family Rallidae, especially those of the genus Rallus, and of closely allied genera. They are prized as game birds.
 Note: ☞ The common European water rail (Rallus aquaticus) is called also bilcock, skitty coot, and brook runner. The best known American species are the clapper rail, or salt-marsh hen (Rallus longirostris, var. crepitans); the king, or red-breasted, rail (Rallus elegans) (called also fresh-water marshhen); the lesser clapper, or Virginia, rail (Rallus Virginianus); and the Carolina, or sora, rail (Porzana Carolina). See Sora.
 Land rail Zool., the corncrake.