Oyster
['ɒɪstə] or ['ɔɪstɚ]
Definition
(noun.) marine mollusks having a rough irregular shell; found on the sea bed mostly in coastal waters.
(noun.) a small muscle on each side of the back of a fowl.
(verb.) gather oysters, dig oysters.
Typist: Marietta--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) Any marine bivalve mollusk of the genus Ostrea. They are usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in brackish water in the mouth of rivers. The common European oyster (Ostrea edulis), and the American oyster (Ostrea Virginiana), are the most important species.
(n.) A name popularly given to the delicate morsel contained in a small cavity of the bone on each side of the lower part of the back of a fowl.
Inputed by Lawrence
Definition
n. a well-known bivalve shellfish used as food.—ns. Oys′ter-bank -bed -farm -field -park a place where oysters breed or are bred; Oys′ter-catch′er the sea pie—a sea wading bird of the family H鎚atopodid? having dark plumage and red bill and feet; Oys′ter-fish′ery the business of catching oysters; Oys′ter-knife a knife for opening oysters.—n.pl. Oys′ter-pat′ties small pies or pasties made from oysters.—n. Oys′ter-shell the shell of an oyster.—n.pl. Oys′ter-tongs a tool used to dredge up oysters in deep water.—ns. Oys′ter-wench -wife -wom′an a woman who vends oysters.
Inputed by Brice
Unserious Contents or Definition
If you dream that you eat oysters, it denotes that you will lose all sense of propriety and morality in your pursuit of low pleasures, and the indulgence of an insatiate thirst for gaining. To deal in oysters, denotes that you will not be over-modest in your mode of winning a sweetheart, or a fortune. To see them, denotes easy circumstances, and many children are promised you.
Checked by Dick
Unserious Contents or Definition
n. A slimy gobby shellfish which civilization gives men the hardihood to eat without removing its entrails! The shells are sometimes given to the poor.
Typist: Zamenhof
Examples
- Now how did those masses of oyster-shells get there? Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Everything was gone, down to the little mirror with the oyster-shell frame. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- The Japanese produce them by fastening a piece of mother-of-pearl in the shells of the pearl-oyster and allowing it to remain there for a number of years. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- They were clean, nice oyster shells, large, and just like any other oyster shells. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- He has the constitution of a rhinoceros, the digestion of an ostrich, and the concentration of an oyster. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- Suppose the mind to be reduced even below the life of an oyster. David Hume. A Treatise of Human Nature.
- Last night, on being childishly solicited for twopence, to buy 'lemon-stunners'--a local sweetmeat--he presented an oyster-knife at the twins! Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- An oyster has no taste for such things; he cares nothing for the beautiful. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Or a oyster,' added the third, who was a hoarse gentleman, supported by very round legs. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- The hill might have been the bottom of the sea, once, and been lifted up, with its oyster-beds, by an earthquake--but, then, how about the crockery? Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Among the oyster-shells were mixed many fragments of ancient, broken crockery ware. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- An oyster is of a retiring disposition, and not lively--not even cheerful above the average, and never enterprising. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- You'd ha' made an uncommon fine oyster, Sammy, if you'd been born in that station o' life. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Look here, sir; here's a oyster-stall to every half-dozen houses. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- As he said it, he glanced from the cod-fish to the oyster-barrels, and chuckled joyously. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Blessed if I don't think that ven a man's wery poor, he rushes out of his lodgings, and eats oysters in reg'lar desperation. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Then suddenly he cried: 'Pussum, you can't eat oysters when you're drinking brandy. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- Time for your oysters! Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- To keep oysters stir into them 3 ounces of the solution (cold) to each gallon of oysters. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- The most natural conclusion would be that the oysters climbed up there to look at the scenery. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- The commodities chiefly exposed for sale in the public streets are marine stores, hard-bake, apples, flat-fish, and oysters. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- It is just possible that this hill is Mount Ararat, and that Noah's Ark rested here, and he ate oysters and threw the shells overboard. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- It's a wery remarkable circumstance, Sir,' said Sam, 'that poverty and oysters always seem to go together. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Gerald watched her eating the oysters. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- Vessels have been designed for this purpose with a capacity of gathering oysters from good ground at the rate of 5,000 bushels per hour. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- Within a few years some valuable methods of keeping meats, fish, oysters, fruits, fruit juices, milk, butter, etc. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- What I mean, sir,' said Sam, 'is, that the poorer a place is, the greater call there seems to be for oysters. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- The high temperature to which they are exposed necessarily causes a loss of flavor, and it is generally remarked that tinned oysters are not a success. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- An't yer fond of oysters? Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
- There is also a Jamaica pigeon, also just cooked here, and a _vol au vent_, which I have had made from oysters which were sent open in the preserving stuff from Jamaica. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
Checker: Marty