hed

n. [ OE. hegge, AS. hecg; akin to haga an inclosure, E. haw, AS. hege hedge, E. haybote, D. hegge, OHG. hegga, G. hecke. √12. See Haw a hedge. ] A thicket of bushes, usually thorn bushes; especially, such a thicket planted as a fence between any two portions of land; and also any sort of shrubbery, as evergreens, planted in a line or as a fence; particularly, such a thicket planted round a field to fence it, or in rows to separate the parts of a garden. [ 1913 Webster ]

The roughest berry on the rudest hedge. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Through the verdant maze
Of sweetbrier hedges I pursue my walk. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Hedge, when used adjectively or in composition, often means rustic, outlandish, illiterate, poor, or mean; as, hedge priest; hedgeborn, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hedge bells,
Hedge bindweed (Bot.), a climbing plant related to the morning-glory (Convolvulus sepium). --
Hedge bill, a long-handled billhook. --
Hedge garlic (Bot.), a plant of the genus Alliaria. See Garlic mustard, under Garlic. --
Hedge hyssop (Bot.), a bitter herb of the genus Gratiola, the leaves of which are emetic and purgative. --
Hedge marriage, a secret or clandestine marriage, especially one performed by a hedge priest. [ Eng. ] --
Hedge mustard (Bot.), a plant of the genus Sisymbrium, belonging to the Mustard family. --
Hedge nettle (Bot.), an herb, or under shrub, of the genus Stachys, belonging to the Mint family. It has a nettlelike appearance, though quite harmless. --
Hedge note. (a) The note of a hedge bird. (b) Low, contemptible writing. [ Obs. ] Dryden. --
Hedge priest, a poor, illiterate priest. Shak. --
Hedge school, an open-air school in the shelter of a hedge, in Ireland; a school for rustics. --
Hedge sparrow (Zool.), a European warbler (Accentor modularis) which frequents hedges. Its color is reddish brown, and ash; the wing coverts are tipped with white. Called also chanter, hedge warbler, dunnock, and doney. --
Hedge writer, an insignificant writer, or a writer of low, scurrilous stuff. [ Obs. ] Swift. --
To breast up a hedge. See under Breast. --
To hang in the hedge, to be at a standstill. “While the business of money hangs in the hedge.” Pepys. [ 1913 Webster ]