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greasewood

[grees-woo d]
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noun
  1. a shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, of the amaranth family, growing in alkaline regions of the western U.S., containing a small amount of oil.
  2. any of various similar shrubs.
  3. white sage(def 1).
  4. Western U.S. mesquite.

Origin of greasewood

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; grease + wood1
Also called grease·bush [grees-boo sh] /ˈgrisˌbʊʃ/.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for greasewood

Historical Examples

  • Why in this world are you talking about stones and sage and greasewood?

    Her Father's Daughter

    Gene Stratton-Porter

  • Of course it worked toward the low place where grew the greasewood bush.

    Johnny Bear

    E. T. Seton

  • He came upon it at last wedged against a clump of greasewood.

    Louisiana Lou

    William West Winter

  • Got a bad fall and when I come to I was lying down the hill against some greasewood.

    Louisiana Lou

    William West Winter

  • Only occasionally the top of a grass tuft or a greasewood shivered.

    Blazed Trail Stories

    Stewart Edward White

British Dictionary definitions for greasewood

greasewood

greasebush (ˈɡriːsˌbʊʃ)

noun
  1. Also called: chico a spiny chenopodiaceous shrub, Sarcobatus vermiculatus of W North America, that yields an oil used as a fuel
  2. any of various similar or related plants, such as the creosote bush
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012