Laurel
[lawr-uh l, lor-] /ˈlɔr əl, ˈlɒr-/
noun
1.
Also called bay, sweet bay. a small European evergreen tree, Laurus nobilis, of the , having dark, glossy green leaves.
Compare .
2.
any tree of the genus Laurus.
3.
any of various similar trees or shrubs, as the or the great rhododendron.
4.
the foliage of the laurel as an emblem of victory or distinction.
5.
a branch or wreath of laurel foliage.
6.
Usually, laurels. honor won, as for achievement in a field or activity.
verb (used with object), laureled, laureling or (especially British) laurelled, laurelling.
7.
to adorn or wreathe with laurel.
8.
to honor with marks of distinction.
Idioms
9.
look to one’s laurels, to be alert to the possibility of being excelled or surpassed:
New developments in the industry are forcing long-established firms to look to their laurels.
10.
rest on one’s laurels, to be content with one’s past or present honors, achievements, etc.:
He retired at the peak of his career and is resting on his laurels.
[lawr-uh l, lor-] /ˈlɔr əl, ˈlɒr-/
noun
1.
Stan (Arthur Stanley Jefferson) 1890–1965, U.S. motion-picture actor and comedian, born in England.
2.
a city in SE Mississippi.
3.
a town in central Maryland.
4.
a female given name.
/ˈlɒrəl/
noun
1.
Also called bay, true laurel. any lauraceous tree of the genus Laurus, such as the bay tree (see bay4) and L. canariensis, of the Canary Islands and Azores
2.
any lauraceous plant
3.
short for cherry laurel, mountain laurel
4.
spurge laurel, a European thymelaeaceous evergreen shrub, Daphne laureola, with glossy leaves and small green flowers
5.
spotted laurel, Japan laurel, an evergreen cornaceous shrub, Aucuba japonica, of S and SE Asia, the female of which has yellow-spotted leaves
6.
(pl) a wreath of true laurel, worn on the head as an emblem of victory or honour in classical times
7.
(pl) honour, distinction, or fame
8.
look to one’s laurels, to be on guard against one’s rivals
9.
rest on one’s laurels, to be satisfied with distinction won by past achievements and cease to strive for further achievements
verb -rels, -relling, -relled (US) -rels, -reling, -reled
10.
(transitive) to crown with laurels
n.
c.1300, lorrer, from Old French laurier (12c.), from Latin laurus “laurel tree,” probably related to Greek daphne “laurel” (for change of d- to l- see lachrymose), probably from a pre-IE Mediterranean language. The change of second -r- to -l- after mid-14c. is by dissimilation. An emblem of victory or of distinction, hence the phrase to rest (originally repose) on one’s laurels, first attested 1831.
see:
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[lawr-uh l, lor-] /ˈlɔr əl, ˈlɒr-/ noun 1. Also called bay, sweet bay. a small European evergreen tree, Laurus nobilis, of the , having dark, glossy green leaves. Compare . 2. any tree of the genus Laurus. 3. any of various similar trees or shrubs, as the or the great rhododendron. 4. the foliage of […]
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