Star n.
 1. One of the innumerable luminous bodies seen in the heavens; any heavenly body other than the sun, moon, comets, and nebulae.
 His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
 As do the stars in the frosty night.   --Chaucer.
 Note: ☞ The stars are distinguished as planets, and fixed stars. See Planet, Fixed stars under Fixed, and Magnitude of a star under Magnitude.
 2. The polestar; the north star.
 3. Astrol. A planet supposed to influence one's destiny; (usually pl.) a configuration of the planets, supposed to influence fortune.
    O malignant and ill-brooding stars.   --Shak.
    Blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury.   --Addison.
 4. That which resembles the figure of a star, as an ornament worn on the breast to indicate rank or honor.
 On whom . . .
 Lavish Honor showered all her stars.   --Tennyson.
 5. Specifically, a radiated mark in writing or printing; an asterisk [thus, *]; -- used as a reference to a note, or to fill a blank where something is omitted, etc.
 6. Pyrotechny A composition of combustible matter used in the heading of rockets, in mines, etc., which, exploding in the air, presents a starlike appearance.
 7. A person of brilliant and attractive qualities, especially on public occasions, as a distinguished orator, a leading theatrical performer, etc.
 Note: ☞ Star is used in the formation of compound words generally of obvious signification; as, star-aspiring, star-bespangled, star-bestudded, star-blasting, star-bright, star-crowned, star-directed, star-eyed, star-headed, star-paved, star-roofed, star-sprinkled, star-wreathed.
 Blazing star, Double star, Multiple star, Shooting star, etc. See under Blazing, Double, etc.
 Nebulous star Astron., a small well-defined circular nebula, having a bright nucleus at its center like a star.
 Star anise Bot., any plant of the genus Illicium; -- so called from its star-shaped capsules.
 Star apple Bot., a tropical American tree (Chrysophyllum Cainito), having a milky juice and oblong leaves with a silky-golden pubescence beneath. It bears an applelike fruit, the carpels of which present a starlike figure when cut across. The name is extended to the whole genus of about sixty species, and the natural order (Sapotaceae) to which it belongs is called the Star-apple family.
 Star conner, one who cons, or studies, the stars; an astronomer or an astrologer. --Gascoigne.
 Star coral Zool., any one of numerous species of stony corals belonging to Astraea, Orbicella, and allied genera, in which the calicles are round or polygonal and contain conspicuous radiating septa.
 Star cucumber. Bot. See under Cucumber.
 Star flower. Bot. (a) A plant of the genus Ornithogalum; star-of-Bethlehem. (b) See Starwort (b). (c) An American plant of the genus Trientalis (Trientalis Americana). --Gray.
 Star fort Fort., a fort surrounded on the exterior with projecting angles; -- whence the name.
 Star gauge Ordnance, a long rod, with adjustable points projecting radially at its end, for measuring the size of different parts of the bore of a gun.
 Star grass. Bot. (a) A small grasslike plant (Hypoxis erecta) having star-shaped yellow flowers. (b) The colicroot. See Colicroot.
 Star hyacinth Bot., a bulbous plant of the genus Scilla (Scilla autumnalis); -- called also star-headed hyacinth.
 Star jelly Bot., any one of several gelatinous plants (Nostoc commune, Nostoc edule, etc.). See Nostoc.
 Star lizard. Zool. Same as Stellion.
 Star-of-Bethlehem Bot., a bulbous liliaceous plant (Ornithogalum umbellatum) having a small white starlike flower.
 Star-of-the-earth Bot., a plant of the genus Plantago (Plantago coronopus), growing upon the seashore.
 Star polygon Geom., a polygon whose sides cut each other so as to form a star-shaped figure.
 Stars and Stripes, a popular name for the flag of the United States, which consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternately red and white, and a union having, in a blue field, white stars to represent the several States, one for each.
    With the old flag, the true American flag, the Eagle, and the Stars and Stripes, waving over the chamber in which we sit.   --D. Webster.

 Star showers. See Shooting star, under Shooting.
 Star thistle Bot., an annual composite plant (Centaurea solstitialis) having the involucre armed with stout radiating spines.
 Star wheel Mach., a star-shaped disk, used as a kind of ratchet wheel, in repeating watches and the feed motions of some machines.
 Star worm Zool., a gephyrean.
 Temporary star Astron., a star which appears suddenly, shines for a period, and then nearly or quite disappears.  These stars were supposed by some astronomers to be variable stars of long and undetermined periods.  More recently, variations star in start intensity are classified more specifically, and this term is now obsolescent.  See also nova. [Obsolescent]
 Variable star Astron., a star whose brilliancy varies periodically, generally with regularity, but sometimes irregularly; -- called periodical star when its changes occur at fixed periods.
 Water star grass Bot., an aquatic plant (Schollera graminea) with small yellow starlike blossoms.


 This·tle n.  Bot. Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those of the genera Cnicus, Craduus, and Onopordon. The name is often also applied to other prickly plants.
 Blessed thistle, Carduus benedictus, so named because it was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of venomous creatures.
 Bull thistle, Cnicus lanceolatus, the common large thistle of neglected pastures.
 Canada thistle, Cnicus arvensis, a native of Europe, but introduced into the United States from Canada.
 Cotton thistle, Onopordon Acanthium.
 Fuller's thistle, the teasel.
 Globe thistle, Melon thistle, etc. See under Globe, Melon, etc.
 Pine thistle, Atractylis gummifera, a native of the Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the involucre.
 Scotch thistle, either the cotton thistle, or the musk thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national emblems of Scotland.
 Sow thistle, Sonchus oleraceus.
 Spear thistle. Same as Bull thistle.
 Star thistle, a species of Centaurea. See Centaurea.
 Torch thistle, a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus Cereus. See Cereus.
 Yellow thistle, Cincus horridulus.
 Thistle bird Zool., the American goldfinch, or yellow-bird (Spinus tristis); -- so called on account of its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under Goldfinch.
 Thistle butterfly Zool., a handsomely colored American butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; -- called also painted lady.
 Thistle cock Zool., the corn bunting (Emberiza militaria). [Prov. Eng.]
 Thistle crown, a gold coin of England of the reign of James I., worth four shillings.
 Thistle finch Zool., the goldfinch; -- so called from its fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]
 Thistle funnel, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring mouth.

 ◄ ►