gray \gray\ gr=a, a. compar. grayer; superl. grayest.
   oe. gray, grey, as. gr=aeg, gr=eg; akin to d. graauw,
   ohg. gr=ao, g. grau, dan. graa, sw. gra, icel. gr=ar.
   written also grey.
   1. any color of neutral hue between white and black; white
      mixed with black, as the color of pepper and salt, or of
      ashes, or of hair whitened by age; sometimes, a dark mixed
      color; as, the soft gray eye of a dove.
      1913 webster

            these gray and dun colors may be also produced by
            mixing whites and blacks.             --sir i.
                                                  newton.
      1913 webster

   2. gray-haired; gray-headed; of a gray color; hoary.
      1913 webster

   3. old; mature; as, gray experience. -- ames.
      1913 webster

   4. gloomy; dismal.
      pjc

   gray antimony min., stibnite.

   gray buck zool., the chickara.

   gray cobalt min., smaltite.

   gray copper min., tetrahedrite.

   gray duck zool., the gadwall; also applied to the female
      mallard.

   gray falcon zool. the peregrine falcon.

   gray friar. see franciscan, and friar.

   gray hen zool., the female of the blackcock or black
      grouse. see heath grouse.

   gray mill or gray millet bot., a name of several plants
      of the genus lithospermum; gromwell.

   gray mullet zool. any one of the numerous species of the
      genus mugil, or family mugilidae, found both in the
      old world and america; as the european species
      mugilidae capito, and mugilidae auratus, the
      american striped mullet mugilidae albula, and the
      white or silver mullet mugilidae braziliensis. see
      mullet.

   gray owl zool., the european tawny or brown owl syrnium
      aluco. the great gray owl ulula cinerea inhabits
      arctic america.

   gray parrot zool., an african parrot psittacus
      erithacus, very commonly domesticated, and noted for its
      aptness in learning to talk. also called jako.

   gray pike. zool. see sauger.

   gray snapper zool., a florida fish; the sea lawyer. see
      snapper.

   gray snipe zool., the dowitcher in winter plumage.

   gray whale zool., a rather large and swift whale of the
      northern pacific eschrichtius robustus, formerly
      rhachianectes glaucus, having short jaws and no dorsal
      fin. it grows to a length of 50 feet someimes 60 feet.
      it was formerly taken in large numbers in the bays of
      california, and is now rare; -- called also grayback,
      devilfish, and hardhead. it lives up to 50 or 60 years
      and adults weigh from 20 to 40 tons.
      1913 webster
see also:
grayer grayest grey gray antimony gray buck gray cobalt 
gray copper gray duck gray falcon gray friar franciscan 
friar gray hen heath grouse gray mill gray millet 
lithospermum gray mullet mugil mugilidae mugilidae capito 
mugilidae auratus mugilidae albula mugilidae braziliensis mullet gray owl 
syrnium aluco ulula cinerea gray parrot psittacus erithacus jako 
gray pike sauger gray snapper snapper gray snipe 
gray whale eschrichtius robustus rhachianectes glaucus grayback devilfish 
hardhead 

heath \heath\ h=eth, n. oe. heth waste land, the plant
   heath, as. h=aeeth; akin to d.  g. heide, icel.
   heiethr waste land, dan. hede, sw. hed, goth. haithorni
   field, l. bucetum a cow pasture; cf. w. coed a wood, skr.
   ksh=etra field. root20.
   1. bot.
      a a low shrub erica vulgaris or calluna vulgaris,
          with minute evergreen leaves, and handsome clusters of
          pink flowers. it is used in great britain for brooms,
          thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. it
          is also called heather, and ling.
      b also, any species of the genus erica, of which
          several are european, and many more are south african,
          some of great beauty. see illust. of heather.
          1913 webster

   2. a place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of
      country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage.
      1913 webster

            their stately growth, though bare,
            stands on the blasted heath.          --milton
      1913 webster

   heath cock zool., the blackcock. see heath grouse
      below.

   heath grass bot., a kind of perennial grass, of the genus
      triodia triodia decumbens, growing on dry heaths.

   heath grouse, or heath game zool., a european grouse
      tetrao tetrix, which inhabits heaths; -- called also
      black game, black grouse, heath poult, heath fowl,
      moor fowl. the male is called heath cock, and
      blackcock; the female, heath hen, and gray hen.

   heath hen. zool. see heath grouse above.

   heath pea bot., a species of bitter vetch lathyrus
      macrorhizus, the tubers of which are eaten, and in
      scotland are used to flavor whisky.

   heath throstle zool., a european thrush which frequents
      heaths; the ring ouzel.
      1913 webster
see also:
erica vulgaris calluna vulgaris heather ling erica heather 
heath cock heath grouse heath grass triodia triodia decumbens 
heath game tetrao tetrix black game black grouse heath poult 
heath fowl moor fowl heath cock blackcock heath hen 
gray hen heath hen heath pea lathyrus macrorhizus heath throstle 

gray hen
     n : female black grouse syn: grayhen, heath hen
see also:
grayhen heath hen