yew \yew\, n. oe. ew, as. e'ow, imacw, eoh; akin to d. ijf,
   ohg. imacwa, imacha, g. eibe, icel. =yr; cf. ir.
   iubhar, gael. iubhar, iughar, w. yw, ywen, lith. j"eva the
   black alder tree.
   1913 webster
   1. bot. an evergreen tree taxus baccata of europe,
      allied to the pines, but having a peculiar berrylike fruit
      instead of a cone. it frequently grows in british
      churchyards.
      1913 webster

   2. the wood of the yew. it is light red in color, compact,
      fine-grained, and very elastic. it is preferred to all
      other kinds of wood for bows and whipstocks, the best for
      these purposes coming from spain.
      1913 webster

   note: the american yew taxus baccata, var. canadensis
         is a low and straggling or prostrate bush, never
         forming an erect trunk. the california yew taxus
         brevifolia, also called pacific yew is a good-sized
         tree, and its wood is used for bows, spear handles,
         paddles, and other similar implements; the anticancer
         agent taxol is obtained from its bark. another yew is
         found in florida, and there are species in japan and
         the himalayas.
         1913 webster + pjc

   3. a bow for shooting, made of the yew.
      1913 webster
see also:
taxus baccata american yew california yew taxus brevifolia pacific yew taxol