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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Plum \Plum\, n. [AS. pl[=u]me, fr. L. prunum; akin to Gr. ?, ?.
Cf. {Prune} a dried plum.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Bot.) The edible drupaceous fruit of the {Prunus
domestica}, and of several other species of {Prunus};
also, the tree itself, usually called {plum tree}.
[1913 Webster]

The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties
of plum, of our gardens, although growing into
thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the
blackthorn, produced by long cultivation. --G.
Bentham.
[1913 Webster]

Note: Two or three hundred varieties of plums derived from
the {Prunus domestica} are described; among them the
{greengage}, the {Orleans}, the {purple gage}, or
{Reine Claude Violette}, and the {German prune}, are
some of the best known.
[1913 Webster]

Note: Among the true plums are;

{Beach plum}, the {Prunus maritima}, and its crimson or
purple globular drupes,

{Bullace plum}. See {Bullace}.

{Chickasaw plum}, the American {Prunus Chicasa}, and its
round red drupes.

{Orleans plum}, a dark reddish purple plum of medium size,
much grown in England for sale in the markets.

{Wild plum of America}, {Prunus Americana}, with red or
yellow fruit, the original of the {Iowa plum} and several
other varieties.
[1913 Webster] Among plants called plum, but of other
genera than {Prunus}, are;

{Australian plum}, {Cargillia arborea} and {Cargillia
australis}, of the same family with the persimmon.

{Blood plum}, the West African {H[ae]matostaphes Barteri}.

{Cocoa plum}, the Spanish nectarine. See under {Nectarine}.


{Date plum}. See under {Date}.

{Gingerbread plum}, the West African {Parinarium
macrophyllum}.

{Gopher plum}, the Ogeechee lime.

{Gray plum}, {Guinea plum}. See under {Guinea}.

{Indian plum}, several species of {Flacourtia}.
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2. A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.
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3. A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant
language, the sum of [pounds]100,000 sterling; also, the
person possessing it.
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4. Something likened to a plum in desirableness; a good or
choice thing of its kind, as among appointments,
positions, parts of a book, etc.; as, the mayor rewarded
his cronies with cushy plums, requiring little work for
handsome pay
[Webster 1913 Suppl. PJC]

5. A color resembling that of a plum; a slightly grayish deep
purple, varying somewhat in its red or blue tint.
[PJC]

{Plum bird}, {Plum budder} (Zool.), the European bullfinch.


{Plum gouger} (Zool.), a weevil, or curculio ({Coccotorus
scutellaris}), which destroys plums. It makes round holes
in the pulp, for the reception of its eggs. The larva
bores into the stone and eats the kernel.

{Plum weevil} (Zool.), an American weevil which is very
destructive to plums, nectarines, cherries, and many other
stone fruits. It lays its eggs in crescent-shaped
incisions made with its jaws. The larva lives upon the
pulp around the stone. Called also {turk}, and {plum
curculio}. See Illust. under {Curculio}.
[1913 Webster]