any member of the kingdom Plantae, comprising multicellular organisms that typically produce their own food from inorganic matter by the process of photosynthesis and that have more or less rigid cell walls containing cellulose, including vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, and hornworts: some classification schemes may include fungi, algae, bacteria, blue-green algae, and certain single-celled eukaryotes that have plantlike qualities, as rigid cell walls or photosynthesis.
2.
an herb or other small vegetable growth, in contrast with a tree or a shrub.
3.
a seedling or a growing slip, esp. one ready for transplanting.
4.
the equipment, including the fixtures, machinery, tools, etc., and often the buildings, necessary to carry on any industrial business: a manufacturing plant.
5.
the complete equipment or apparatus for a particular mechanical process or operation: the heating plant for a home.
6.
the buildings, equipment, etc., of an institution: the sprawling plant of the university.
7.
Slang. something intended to trap, decoy, or lure, as criminals.
8.
Slang. a scheme to trap, trick, swindle, or defraud.
9.
a person, placed in an audience, whose rehearsed or prepared reactions, comments, etc., appear spontaneous to the rest of the audience.
10.
a person placed secretly in a group or organization, as by a foreign government, to obtain internal or secret information, stir up discontent, etc.
11.
Theater. a line of dialogue, or a character, action, etc., introducing an idea or theme that will be further developed at a later point in the play: Afterward we remembered the suicide plant in the second act.
–verb (used with object)
12.
to put or set in the ground for growth, as seeds, young trees, etc.
13.
to furnish or stock (land) with plants: to plant a section with corn.
14.
to establish or implant (ideas, principles, doctrines, etc.): to plant a love for learning in growing children.
15.
to introduce (a breed of animals) into a country.
16.
to deposit (young fish, or spawn) in a river, lake, etc.
17.
to bed (oysters).
18.
to insert or set firmly in or on the ground or some other body or surface: to plant posts along a road.
19.
Theater. to insert or place (an idea, person, or thing) in a play.
20.
to place; put.
21.
to place with great force, firmness, or determination: He planted himself in the doorway as if daring us to try to enter. He planted a big kiss on his son's cheek.
22.
to station; post: to plant a police officer on every corner.
23.
to locate; situate: Branch stores are planted all over.
24.
to establish (a colony, city, etc.); found.
25.
to settle (persons), as in a colony.
26.
to say or place (something) in order to obtain a desired result, esp. one that will seem spontaneous: The police planted the story in the newspaper in order to trap the thief.
27.
Carpentry. to nail, glue, or otherwise attach (a molding or the like) to a surface.
28.
to place (a person) secretly in a group to function as a spy or to promote discord.
29.
Slang. to hide or conceal, as stolen goods.
Origin: bef. 900; (n.) ME plaunte; in part continuing OE plante sapling, young plant (< L planta); in part (< OF plante) < L planta a shoot, sprig, scion (for planting), plant; (v.) ME plaunten; in part continuing OE plantian (< L plantāre); in part (< OF planter) < L plantāre to plant
Any of various photosynthetic, eukaryotic, multicellular organisms of the kingdom Plantae characteristically producing embryos, containing chloroplasts, having cellulose cell walls, and lacking the power of locomotion.
A plant having no permanent woody stem; an herb.
A building or group of buildings for the manufacture of a product; a factory.
The equipment, including machinery, tools, instruments, and fixtures and the buildings containing them, necessary for an industrial or manufacturing operation.
A person placed in a group of spectators to influence behavior.
A person stationed in a given location as a spy or observer.
A misleading piece of evidence placed so as to be discovered.
A remark or action in a play or narrative that becomes important later.
A building or group of buildings for the manufacture of a product; a factory.
The equipment, including machinery, tools, instruments, and fixtures and the buildings containing them, necessary for an industrial or manufacturing operation.
A person placed in a group of spectators to influence behavior.
A person stationed in a given location as a spy or observer.
A misleading piece of evidence placed so as to be discovered.
A remark or action in a play or narrative that becomes important later.
The buildings, equipment, and fixtures of an institution: the entire plant of a university.
A person or thing put into place in order to mislead or function secretly, especially:
A person placed in a group of spectators to influence behavior.
A person stationed in a given location as a spy or observer.
A misleading piece of evidence placed so as to be discovered.
A remark or action in a play or narrative that becomes important later.
Slang A scheming trick; a swindle.
tr.v.
plant·ed, plant·ing, plants
To place or set (seeds, for example) in the ground to grow.
To place seeds or young plants in (land); sow: plant a field in corn.
To place (spawn or young fish) in water or an underwater bed for cultivation: plant oysters.
To stock with spawn or fish.
To station (a person) for the purpose of functioning in secret, as by observing, spying, or influencing behavior: Detectives were planted all over the store.
To place secretly or deceptively so as to be discovered or made public: planted a gun on the corpse to make the death look like suicide.
To place (spawn or young fish) in water or an underwater bed for cultivation: plant oysters.
To stock with spawn or fish.
To station (a person) for the purpose of functioning in secret, as by observing, spying, or influencing behavior: Detectives were planted all over the store.
To place secretly or deceptively so as to be discovered or made public: planted a gun on the corpse to make the death look like suicide.
To introduce (an animal) into an area.
To set firmly in position; fix: planted both feet on the ground.
To establish; found: plant a colony.
To fix firmly in the mind; implant: "The right of revolution is planted in the heart of man"(Clarence Darrow).
To station (a person) for the purpose of functioning in secret, as by observing, spying, or influencing behavior: Detectives were planted all over the store.
To place secretly or deceptively so as to be discovered or made public: planted a gun on the corpse to make the death look like suicide.
To conceal; hide: planted the stolen goods in the warehouse.
Slang To deliver (a blow or punch).
[Middle English plante, from Old English and Old French, both from Latin planta, sprout, seedling; see plat- in Indo-European roots.] plant'a·ble adj.
plant (plānt) Pronunciation Key
Any of a wide variety of multicellular eukaryotic organisms, belonging to the kingdom Plantae and including the bryophytes and vascular plants. Plant cells have cell walls made of cellulose. Except for a few specialized symbionts, plants have chlorophyll and manufacture their own food through photosynthesis. Most plants grow in a fixed location and reproduce sexually, showing an alternation of generations between a diploid stage (with each cell having two sets of chromosomes) and haploid stage (with each cell having one set of chromosomes) in their life cycle. The first fossil plants date from the Silurian period. Formerly the algae, slime molds, dinoflagellates, and fungi, among other groups, were classified as plants, but now these are considered to belong to other kingdoms. See Table at taxonomy.
[plant, plahnt] 
