a profoundly wise person; a person famed for wisdom.
2.
someone venerated for the possession of wisdom, judgment, and experience.
–adjective
3.
wise, judicious, or prudent: sage advice.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME (n. and adj.) < OF < LL sapidus wise, tasteful (L: tasty), equiv. to sap(ere) to know, be wise, orig. to taste (see sapient) + -idus-id4]
kind of herb (Salvia officinalis), c.1310, from O.Fr. sauge (13c.), from L. salvia, from salvus "healthy" (see safe). So called for its healing or preserving qualities (it was used to keep teeth clean and relieve sore gums, and boiled in water to make a drink to alleviate arthritis). In Eng. folklore, sage, like parsley, is said to grow best where the wife is dominant. Sagebrush first recorded 1852.
"wise," 1297, from O.Fr. sage (11c.), from Gallo-Romance *sabius, from V.L. *sapius, from L. sapere "have a taste, have good taste, be wise," from PIE base *sap- "to taste." The noun meaning "man of profound wisdom" is recorded from c.1300. Originally applied to the Seven Sages -- Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobulus, Chilon, Bias, and Pittacus.
Mead"ow\, a. Of or pertaining to a meadow; of the nature of a meadow; produced, growing, or living in, a meadow. "Fat meadow ground." --Milton. Note: For many names of plants compounded with meadow, see the particular word in the Vocabulary. Meadow beauty. (Bot.) Same as Deergrass. Meadow foxtail (Bot.), a valuable pasture grass (Alopecurus pratensis) resembling timothy, but with softer spikes. Meadow grass (Bot.), a name given to several grasses of the genus Poa, common in meadows, and of great value for nay and for pasture. See Grass. Meadow hay, a coarse grass, or true sedge, growing in uncultivated swamp or river meadow; -- used as fodder or bedding for cattle, packing for ice, etc. [Local, U. S.] Meadow hen. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The American bittern. See Stake-driver. (b) The American coot (Fulica). (c) The clapper rail. Meadow lark (Zo["o]l.), any species of Sturnella, a genus of American birds allied to the starlings. The common species (S. magna) has a yellow breast with a black crescent. Meadow mouse (Zo["o]l.), any mouse of the genus Arvicola, as the common American species A. riparia; -- called also field mouse, and field vole. Meadow mussel (Zo["o]l.), an American ribbed mussel (Modiola plicatula), very abundant in salt marshes. Meadow ore (Min.), bog-iron ore, a kind of limonite. Meadow parsnip. (Bot.) See under Parsnip. Meadow pink. (Bot.) See under Pink. Meadow pipit (Zo["o]l.), a small singing bird of the genus Anthus, as A. pratensis, of Europe. Meadow rue (Bot.), a delicate early plant, of the genus Thalictrum, having compound leaves and numerous white flowers. There are many species. Meadow saffron. (Bot.) See under Saffron. Meadow sage. (Bot.) See under Sage. Meadow saxifrage (Bot.), an umbelliferous plant of Europe (Silaus pratensis), somewhat resembling fennel. Meadow snipe (Zo["o]l.), the common or jack snipe.
Safe\, a. [Compar. Safer; superl. Safest.] [OE. sauf, F. sauf, fr. L. salvus, akin to salus health, welfare, safety. Cf. Salute, Salvation, Sage a plant, Save, Salvo an exception.]1. Free from harm, injury, or risk; untouched or unthreatened by danger or injury; unharmed; unhurt; secure; whole; as, safe from disease; safe from storms; safe from foes. "And ye dwelled safe." --1 Sam. xii. 11. They escaped all safe to land. --Acts xxvii. 44. Established in a safe, unenvied throne. --Milton. 2. Conferring safety; securing from harm; not exposing to danger; confining securely; to be relied upon; not dangerous; as, a safe harbor; a safe bridge, etc. "The man of safe discretion." --Shak. The King of heaven hath doomed This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat. --Milton. 3. Incapable of doing harm; no longer dangerous; in secure care or custody; as, the prisoner is safe. But Banquo's safe? Ay, my good lord, safe in a ditch he bides. --Shak. Safe hit (Baseball), a hit which enables the batter to get to first base even if no error is made by the other side. Syn: Secure; unendangered; sure.
Sage\, n. [OE. sauge, F. sauge, L. salvia, from salvus saved, in allusion to its reputed healing virtues. See Safe.] (Bot.) (a) A suffruticose labiate plant (Salvia officinalis) with grayish green foliage, much used in flavoring meats, etc. The name is often extended to the whole genus, of which many species are cultivated for ornament, as the scarlet sage, and Mexican red and blue sage. (b) The sagebrush. Meadow sage (Bot.), a blue-flowered species of Salvia (S. pratensis) growing in meadows in Europe. Sage cheese, cheese flavored with sage, and colored green by the juice of leaves of spinach and other plants which are added to the milk. Sage cock (Zo["o]l.), the male of the sage grouse; in a more general sense, the specific name of the sage grouse. Sage green, of a dull grayish green color, like the leaves of garden sage. Sage grouse (Zo["o]l.), a very large American grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), native of the dry sagebrush plains of Western North America. Called also cock of the plains. The male is called sage cock, and the female sage hen. Sage hare, or Sage rabbit (Zo["o]l.), a species of hare (Lepus Nuttalli, or artemisia) which inhabits the arid regions of Western North America and lives among sagebrush. By recent writers it is considered to be merely a variety of the common cottontail, or wood rabbit. Sage hen (Zo["o]l.), the female of the sage grouse. Sage sparrow (Zo["o]l.), a small sparrow (Amphispiza Belli, var. Nevadensis) which inhabits the dry plains of the Rocky Mountain region, living among sagebrush. Sage thrasher (Zo["o]l.), a singing bird (Oroscoptes montanus) which inhabits the sagebrush plains of Western North America. Sage willow (Bot.), a species of willow (Salix tristis) forming a low bush with nearly sessile grayish green leaves.
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