mahogany

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ma=hog=a=ny

CIDE DICTIONARY

mahogany, n. [From the South American name.].

•  A large tree of the genus Swietenia (Swietenia Mahogoni), found in tropical America.  [1913 Webster]

  " Several other trees, with wood more or less like mahogany, are called by this name; as, African mahogany (Khaya Senegalensis), Australian mahogany (Eucalyptus marginatus), Bastard mahogany (Batonia apetala of the West Indies), Indian mahogany (Cedrela Toona of Bengal, and trees of the genera Soymida and Chukrassia), Madeira mahogany (Persea Indica), Mountain mahogany, the black or cherry birch (Betula lenta), also the several species of Cercocarpus of California and the Rocky Mountains."  [1913 Webster]
•  The wood of the Swietenia Mahogoni. It is of a reddish brown color, beautifully veined, very hard, and susceptible of a fine polish. It is used in the manufacture of furniture.  [1913 Webster]
•  A table made of mahogany wood.  [1913 Webster]

To be under the mahogany, to be so drunk as to have fallen under the table. [Eng.] -- To put one's legs under some one's mahogany, to dine with him. [Slang]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

mahogany, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a a reddish-brown wood used for furniture. b the colour of this.
2 any tropical tree of the genus Swietenia, esp. S. mahagoni, yielding this wood.

Etymology

17th c.: orig. unkn.