asp

n. [ L. aspis, fr. Gr. 'aspi`s: cf. OF. aspe, F. aspic. ] (Zool.) A small, hooded, poisonous serpent of Egypt and adjacent countries, whose bite is often fatal. It is the Naja haje. The name is also applied to other poisonous serpents, esp. to Vipera aspis of southern Europe. See Haje. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Same as Aspen. “Trembling poplar or asp.” Martyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. aspalathus, Gr. &unr_;. ] (Bot.) (a) A thorny shrub yielding a fragrant oil. Ecclus. xxiv. 15. (b) A genus of plants of the natural order Leguminosæ. The species are chiefly natives of the Cape of Good Hope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 one of many families or subfamilies into which some classification systems subdivide the Liliaceae: includes genera Asparagus and sometimes Ruscus.
Syn. -- family Asparagaceae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. asparagine. ] (Chem.) A white, nitrogenous, crystallizable substance, C4H8N2O3+H2O, found in many plants, and first obtained from asparagus. It is believed to aid in the disposition of nitrogenous matter throughout the plant; -- called also altheine. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining or allied to, or resembling, asparagus; having shoots which are eaten like asparagus; as, asparaginous vegetables. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. Gr. 'aspa`ragos, 'asfa`ragos; cf. sparga^n to swell with sap or juice, and Zend çparegha prong, sprout, Pers. asparag, Lith. spurgas sprout, Skr. sphurj to swell. Perh. the Greek borrowed from the Persian. Cf. Sparrowgrass. ] 1. (Bot.) A genus of perennial plants belonging to the natural order Liliaceæ, and having erect much branched stems, and very slender branchlets which are sometimes mistaken for leaves. Asparagus racemosus is a shrubby climbing plant with fragrant flowers. Specifically: The Asparagus officinalis, a species cultivated in gardens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The young and tender shoots of Asparagus officinalis, which form a valuable and well-known article of food. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word was formerly pronounced sparrowgrass; but this pronunciation is now confined exclusively to uneducated people. [ 1913 Webster ]

Asparagus beetle (Zool.), a small beetle (Crioceris asparagi) injurious to asparagus. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an artificial sweetener containing an aspartic acid peptide, (C14H18N2O5); it is 160 times sweeter than sucrose (cane sugar) and is used as a calorie-free sweetener. Chemically it is N-L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester. It is sold also under the trade name Equal. [ WordNet 1.5 ]