Definitions for: Laurel


[n] United States slapstick comedian (born in England) who played the scatterbrained and often tearful member of the Laurel and Hardy duo who made many films (1890-1965)
[n] any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family



Webster (1913) Definition: Lau"rel, n. [OE. lorel, laurer, lorer, OF. lorier,
laurier, F. laurier, (assumed) LL. Laurarius, fr. L. laurus.]
1. (Bot.) An evergreen shrub, of the genus Laurus ({L.
nobilis}), having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape,
with clusters of small, yellowish white flowers in their
axils; -- called also sweet bay.

Note: The fruit is a purple berry. It is found about the
Mediterranean, and was early used by the ancient Greeks
to crown the victor in the games of Apollo. At a later
period, academic honors were indicated by a crown of
laurel, with the fruit. The leaves and tree yield an
aromatic oil, used to flavor the bay water of commerce.

Note: The name is extended to other plants which in some
respect resemble the true laurel. See Phrases, below.

2. A crown of laurel; hence, honor; distinction; fame; --
especially in the plural; as, to win laurels.

3. An English gold coin made in 1619, and so called because
the king's head on it was crowned with laurel.

Laurel water, water distilled from the fresh leaves of the
cherry laurel, and containing prussic acid and other
products carried over in the process.

American laurel, or Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia.
See under Mountain.

California laurel, Umbellularia Californica.

Cherry laurel (in England called laurel). See under
Cherry.

Great laurel, the rosebay (Rhododendron maximum).

Ground laurel, trailing arbutus.

New Zealand laurel, Laurelia Nov[ae] Zelandi[ae].

Portugal laurel, the Prunus Lusitanica.

Rose laurel, the oleander. See Oleander.

Sheep laurel, a poisonous shrub, Kalmia angustifolia,
smaller than the mountain laurel, and with smaller and
redder flowers.

Spurge laurel, Daphne Laureola.

West Indian laurel, Prunus occidentalis.

Synonyms: Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel, Stan Laurel

See Also: angiospermous tree, bay, bay laurel, bay tree, California bay tree, California laurel, California olive, camphor tree, cassia, cassia-bark tree, Ceylon cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon tree, Cinnamomum camphora, Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamomum loureirii, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, cinnamon, comedian, comic, family Lauraceae, flowering tree, Lauraceae, Laurel and Hardy, laurel family, laurel-tree, Laurus nobilis, mountain laurel, Oregon myrtle, pepperwood, Persea borbonia, red bay, Saigon cinnamon, sassafras, Sassafras albidum, sassafras laurel, sassafras tree, spice tree, true laurel, Umbellularia californica

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