fescue

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: fes=cue

CIDE DICTIONARY

fescue, n. [OE. festu, OF. festu, F. fétu, fr. L. festuca stalk, straw.].

•  A straw, wire, stick, etc., used chiefly to point out letters to children when learning to read.  Sterne.  [1913 Webster]

  "To come under the fescue of an imprimatur."  [1913 Webster]
•  An instrument for playing on the harp; a plectrum.  Chapman.  [1913 Webster]
•  The style of a dial.  [1913 Webster]
•  A grass of the genus Festuca.  [1913 Webster]

Fescue grass (Bot.), a genus of grasses (Festuca) containing several species of importance in agriculture. Festuca ovina is sheep's fescue; F. elatior is meadow fescue.

fescue, v. i. & t. 

 To use a fescue, or teach with a fescue.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

fescue, n. any grass of the genus Festuca, valuable for pasture and fodder.

Etymology

ME festu(e) f. OF festu ult. f. L festuca stalk, straw