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gourd

[gawrd, gohrd, goo rd]
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noun
  1. the hard-shelled fruit of any of various plants, especially those of Lagenaria siceraria (white-flowered gourd or bottle gourd), whose dried shell is used for bowls and other utensils, and Cucurbita pepo (yellow-flowered gourd), used ornamentally.Compare gourd family.
  2. a plant bearing such a fruit.
  3. a dried and excavated gourd shell used as a bottle, dipper, flask, etc.
  4. a gourd-shaped, small-necked bottle or flask.
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Idioms
  1. out of/off one's gourd, Slang. out of one's mind; crazy.
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Origin of gourd

1275–1325; Middle English gourd(e), courde < Anglo-French (Old French cöorde) < Latin cucurbita
Related formsgourd·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for gourd

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • With her head bent forward, she stared at some petals that had fallen from the gourd.

    Sacrifice

    Stephen French Whitman

  • "I went all the way," answered Allan, lifting the gourd of well-water to his lips.

    The Long Roll

    Mary Johnston

  • "Dip her deep, son," he would say as he emptied the gourd and sent the boy for more.

  • Here's a gourd, there's a yeast powder can, and there's a tin cup.

    Shadows of Shasta

    Joaquin Miller

  • He provided himself also with a pilgrim's staff and a gourd to drink from.

British Dictionary definitions for gourd

gourd

noun
  1. the fruit of any of various cucurbitaceous or similar plants, esp the bottle gourd and some squashes, whose dried shells are used for ornament, drinking cups, etc
  2. any plant that bears this fruitSee also sour gourd, dishcloth gourd, calabash
  3. a bottle or flask made from the dried shell of the bottle gourd
  4. a small bottle shaped like a gourd
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Derived Formsgourdlike, adjectivegourd-shaped, adjective

Word Origin

C14: from Old French gourde, ultimately from Latin cucurbita
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

Word Origin and History for gourd

n.

c.1300, from Anglo-French gourde, from Old French coorde, ultimately from Latin cucurbita "gourd," of uncertain origin, perhaps related to cucumis "cucumber."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper