DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Butch·er's broom Bot. A genus of plants (Ruscus); esp. Ruscus aculeatus, which has large red berries and leaflike branches. See Cladophyll.
 ◄ ►

 Broom n.
 1. Bot. A plant having twigs suitable for making brooms to sweep with when bound together; esp., the Cytisus scoparius of Western Europe, which is a low shrub with long, straight, green, angular branches, minute leaves, and large yellow flowers.
    No gypsy cowered o'er fires of furze and broom.   --Wordsworth.
 2. An implement for sweeping floors, etc., commonly made of the panicles or tops of broom corn, bound together or attached to a long wooden handle; -- so called because originally made of the twigs of the broom.
 Butcher's broom, a plant (Ruscus aculeatus) of the Smilax family, used by butchers for brooms to sweep their blocks; -- called also knee holly. See Cladophyll.
 Dyer's broom, a species of mignonette (Reseda luteola), used for dyeing yellow; dyer's weed; dyer's rocket.
 Spanish broom. See under Spanish.

 butcher's broom
      n : shrub with stiff-pointed flattened stems resembling leaves
          (cladophylls); used for making brooms [syn: Ruscus
          aculeatus]