Cress definition | Dictionary.com

cress

[kres]

–noun

1.	any of various plants of the mustard family, esp. the watercress, having pungent-tasting leaves often used for salad and as a garnish.

2.	any of various similar plants.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME cresse, OE cress(a), cresse; c. D kers, G Kresse

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Language Translation for : Cress

Spanish:

berro,

German:

die Kresse,

Japanese:

からしな

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cress (krěs) Pronunciation Key
n.

An Old World annual plant (Lepidium sativum) in the mustard family, cultivated for its edible seedlings and leaves.
Any of several related plants, such as pennycress and watercress.

[Middle English cresse, from Old English.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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cress

O.E. cresse, originally cærse, from P.Gmc. *krasjon-, which may be connected to creep, giving the word a literal sense of "creeper." It underwent a metathesis similar to grass.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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cress
noun
1.	any of various plants of the family Cruciferae with edible leaves that have a pungent taste
2.	pungent leaves of any of numerous cruciferous herbs

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Cress

Cress\ (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. Cresses (kr[e^]s"[e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species, chiefly cruciferous. The leaves have a moderately pungent taste, and are used as a salad and antiscorbutic.

Note: The garden cress, called also peppergrass, is the Lepidium sativum; the water cress is the Nasturtium officinale. Various other plants are sometimes called cresses.

To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread. --Goldsmith.

Bitter cress. See under Bitter.

Not worth a cress, or "not worth a kers." a common old proverb, now turned into the meaningless "not worth a curse." --Skeat.

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