Plant

[Fr. plante, Pr., Sp., & Pg. planta, It. pianta, Lat. planta; A-S. & D. plant, Dan. plante, Sw. planta, Ger. pflanze.]

1Sense 1. A vegetable; an organic body, destitute of sense and spontaneous motion, and having, when complete, a root, stem, and leaves, though consisting sometimes only of a single leafy expansion, or a series of cellules, or even a single cellule alone.

☞ The nutriment of a plant is taken in by absorbing moisture or air, and is elaborated in the leaves or surface tissues, and is not received into any internal cavity or stomach, like that of animals. In the plant, oxygen is excreted, and carbonic acid is a source of nutriment; while in animals, carbonic acid is excreted, and oxygen is essential to life.

2Sense 2. A young tree or bush; a sapling. Dryden.

3Sense 3. The sole of the foot. [Rare.]

4Sense 4. The fixtures and tools necessary to carry on any trade or mechanical business.

5Sense 5. A stick or staff.

Take a plant of stubborn oak, And labor him with many a sturdy stroke. Dryden.

6Sense 6. A trick; a dodge; an artifice. [Colloq. and low.]

It wasn't a bad plant, that of mine, on Fikey, the man accused of forging the Sou'-Western Railway debentures. Dickens.

Sea-plant, a plant that grows on the sea or in salt water; sea-weed.—Railway-plant. See RAILWAY.

☞ Walker says, “There is a coarse pronunciation of this word, chiefly among the vulgar, which rhymes it with aunt.” This pronunciation is common in New England, and some other parts of the United States; but it is not countenanced by any recent orthoëpist.

[imp. & p. p. PLANTED; p. pr. & vb. n. PLANTING.] [Fr. planter, Pr., Sp., & Pg. plantar, It. piantare, Lat. plantare, A-S. plantian, Icel. & Sw. planta, Dan. plante, D. planten, Ger. pflanzen. See supra.

1Sense 1. To put in the ground and cover, as seed for growth; as, to plant maize.

2Sense 2. To set in the ground for growth, as a young tree, or a vegetable with roots.

3Sense 3. To furnish with plants; to fit out with plants; as, to plant a garden or an orchard.

4Sense 4. To engender; to set the germ of.

It engenders choler, planteth anger. Shak.

5Sense 5. To furnish with a fixed and organized population; to settle; to establish; to introduce; as, to plant a colony.

6Sense 6. Hence, to introduce and establish the principles or seeds of; as, to plant Christianity among the heathen.

7Sense 7. To set firmly; to fix; to set and direct, or point; as, to plant cannon against a fort. “His standard planted on Laurentum’s towers.” Dryden.

It is easy enough, after the ramparts are carried, to find men to plant the flag on the highest tower. Macaulay.

To perform the act of planting.