Marsh

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

Marsh, n. [OE. mersch, AS. mersc, fr. mere lake. See Mere pool, and cf. Marish, Morass.].

 A tract of soft wet land, commonly covered partially or wholly with water; a fen; a swamp; a morass.  [1913 Webster]

Marsh asphodel (Bot.), a plant (Nartheeium ossifragum) with linear equitant leaves, and a raceme of small white flowers; -- called also bog asphodel. -- Marsh cinquefoil (Bot.), a plant (Potentilla palustris) having purple flowers, and found growing in marshy places; marsh five-finger. -- Marsh elder. (Bot.) (a) The guelder-rose or cranberry tree (Viburnum Opulus). (b) In the United States, a composite shrub growing in salt marshes (Iva frutescens). -- Marsh five-finger. (Bot.) See Marsh cinquefoil (above). -- Marsh gas. (Chem.) See under Gas. -- Marsh grass (Bot.), a genus (Spartina) of coarse grasses growing in marshes; -- called also cord grass. The tall Spartina cynosuroides is not good for hay unless cut very young. The low Spartina juncea is a common component of salt hay. -- Marsh harrier (Zoöl.), a European hawk or harrier (Circus æruginosus); -- called also marsh hawk, moor hawk, moor buzzard, puttock. -- Marsh hawk. (Zoöl.) (a) A hawk or harrier (Circus cyaneus), native of both America and Europe. The adults are bluish slate above, with a white rump. Called also hen harrier, and mouse hawk. (b) The marsh harrier. -- Marsh hen (Zoöl.), a rail; esp., Rallus elegans of fresh-water marshes, and Rallus longirostris of salt-water marshes. -- Marsh mallow (Bot.), a plant of the genus Althæa ( Althæa officinalis) common in marshes near the seashore, and whose root is much used in medicine as a demulcent. -- Marsh marigold. (Bot.) See in the Vocabulary. -- Marsh pennywort (Bot.), any plant of the umbelliferous genus Hydrocotyle; low herbs with roundish leaves, growing in wet places; -- called also water pennywort. -- Marsh quail (Zoöl.), the meadow lark. -- Marsh rosemary (Bot.), a plant of the genus Statice (Statice Limonium), common in salt marshes. Its root is powerfully astringent, and is sometimes used in medicine. Called also sea lavender. -- Marsh samphire (Bot.), a plant (Salicornia herbacea) found along seacoasts. See Glasswort. -- Marsh St. John's-wort (Bot.), an American herb (Elodes Virginica) with small opposite leaves and flesh-colored flowers. -- Marsh tea. (Bot.). Same as Labrador tea. -- Marsh trefoil. (Bot.) Same as Buckbean. -- Marsh wren (Zoöl.), any species of small American wrens of the genus Cistothorus, and allied genera. They chiefly inhabit salt marshes.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Marsh, n.
1 low land flooded in wet weather and usu. watery at all times.
2 (attrib.) of or inhabiting marshland.

Idiom

marsh fever malaria. marsh gas methane. marsh-harrier a European harrier, Circus aeruginosus (see HARRIER(3)). marsh mallow a shrubby herbaceous plant, Althaea officinalis, the roots of which were formerly used to make marshmallow. marsh marigold a golden-flowered ranunculaceous plant, Caltha palustris, growing in moist meadows etc.: also called KINGCUP. marsh tit a grey tit, Parus palustris, inhabiting marshland. marsh trefoil the buckbean.

Derivative

marshy adj. (marshier, marshiest). marshiness n.

Etymology

OE mer(i)sc f. WG

THESAURUS

Marsh

bog, cesspool, cloaca, cloaca maxima, drain, dump, fen, garbage dump, marshland, mire, morass, quag, quagmire, septic tank, sewer, sink, slough, sump, swamp, swampland

ROGET THESAURUS

Marsh

Moisture

N moisture, moistness, humidity, humectation, madefaction, dew, serein, marsh, hygrometry, hygrometer, moist, damp, watery, madid, roric, undried, humid, sultry, wet, dank, luggy, dewy, roral, rorid, roscid, juicy, wringing wet, soaking wet, wet through to the skin, saturated, swashy, soggy, dabbled, reeking, dripping, soaking, soft, sodden, sloppy, muddy, swampy, irriguous.

Marsh

N marsh, swamp, morass, marish, moss, fen, bog, quagmire, slough, sump, wash, mud, squash, slush, baygall, cienaga, jhil, vlei, marsh, marshy, swampy, boggy, plashy, poachy, quaggy, soft, muddy, sloppy, squashy, paludal, moorish, moory, fenny, marsh, swamp, morass, marish, moss, fen, bog, quagmire, slough, sump, wash, mud, squash, slush, baygall, cienaga, jhil, vlei, marsh, marshy, swampy, boggy, plashy, poachy, quaggy, soft, muddy, sloppy, squashy, paludal, moorish, moory, fenny.

Semiliquidity

N semiliquidity, stickiness, viscidity, viscosity, gummosity, glutinosity, mucosity, spissitude, crassitude, lentor, adhesiveness, inspissation, incrassation, thickening, jelly, mucilage, gelatin, gluten, carlock, fish glue, ichthyocol, ichthycolla, isinglass, mucus, phlegm, goo, pituite, lava, glair, starch, gluten, albumen, milk, cream, protein, treacle, gum, size, glue (tenacity), wax, beeswax, emulsion, soup, squash, mud, slush, slime, ooze, moisture, marsh, semifluid, semiliquid, tremellose, half melted, half frozen, milky, muddy, lacteal, lactean, lacteous, lactescent, lactiferous, emulsive, curdled, thick, succulent, uliginous, gelatinous, albuminous, mucilaginous, glutinous, glutenous, gelatin, mastic, amylaceous, ropy, clammy, clotted, viscid, viscous, sticky, tacky, gooey, slab, slabby, lentous, pituitous, mucid, muculent, mucous, gummy.