RED (3)

Red, a. [Compar. Redder (–d?r); superl. Reddest.] [[OE. red, reed, AS. reád, reód; akin to OS. rōd, OFries. rād, D. rood, G. roht, rot, OHG. rōt, Dan. & Sw. röd, Icel. rauðr, rjōðr, Goth. ráuds, W. rhudd, Armor. ruz, Ir. & Gael. ruadh, L. ruber, rufus, Gr. ερυθρὄσ, Skr. rudhira, rohita; cf. L. rutilus. √113. Cf. Erysipelas, Rouge, Rubric, Ruby, Ruddy, Russet, Rust.]] Of the color of blood, or of a tint resembling that color; of the hue of that part of the rainbow, or of the solar spectrum, which is furthest from the violet part. “Fresh flowers, white and reede.” Chaucer. Your color, I warrant you, is as red as any rose. Shak. ☞ Red is a general term, including many different shades or hues, as scarlet, crimson, vermilion, orange red, and the like. ☞ Red is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, red-breasted, red-cheeked, red-faced, red-haired, red-headed, red-skinned, red-tailed, red-topped, red-whiskered, red-coasted. Red admiral (Zoöl.), a beautiful butterfly (Vanessa Atalanta) common in both Europe and America. The front wings are crossed by a broad orange red band. The larva feeds on nettles. Called also Atalanta butterfly, and nettle butterfly. — Red ant. (Zoöl.) (a) A very small ant (Myrmica molesta) which often infests houses. (b) A larger reddish ant (Formica sanguinea), native of Europe and America. It is one of the slave-making species. — Red antimony (Min.), kermesite. See Kermes mineral (b), under Kermes. — Red ash (Bot.), an American tree (Fraxinus pubescens), smaller than the white ash, and less valuable for timber. Cray. — Red bass. (Zoöl.) See Redfish (d). — Red bay (Bot.), a tree (Persea Caroliniensis) having the heartwood red, found in swamps in the Southern United States. — Red beard (Zoöl.), a bright red sponge (Microciona prolifera), common on oyster shells and stones. — Red birch (Bot.), a species of birch (Betula nigra) having reddish brown bark, and compact, light-colored wood. Gray. — Red blindness. (Med.) See Daltonism. — Red book, a book containing the names of all the persons in the service of the state. — Red book of the Exchequer, an ancient record in which are registered the names of all that held lands per baroniam in the time of Henry II. Brande & C. — Red brass, an alloy containing eight parts of copper and three of zinc. — Red bug. (Zoöl.) (a) A very small mite which in Florida attacks man, and produces great irritation by its bites. (b) A red hemipterous insect of the genus Pyrrhocoris, especially the European species (P. apterus), which is bright scarlet and lives in clusters on tree trunks. (c) See Cotton stainder, under Cotton. — Red cedar. (Bot.) An evergreen North American tree (Juniperus Virginiana) having a fragrant red-colored heartwood. (b) A tree of India and Australia (Cedrela Toona) having fragrant reddish wood; — called also toon tree in India. — Red underwing (Zoöl.), any species of noctuid moths belonging to Catacola and allied genera. The numerous species are mostly large and handsomely colored. The under wings are commonly banded with bright red or orange. — Red water, a disease in cattle, so called from an appearance like blood in the urine.