hemlock

American  

[hem-lok] / ˈhɛmˌlɒk /

noun

1. a poisonous plant, Conium maculatum, of the parsley family, having purple-spotted stems, finely divided leaves, and umbels of small white flowers, used medicinally as a powerful sedative.

2. a poisonous drink made from this plant.

3. any of various other plants, especially of the genus Cicuta, as the water hemlock.

4. Also called hemlock spruce.  any of several coniferous trees of the genus Tsuga, native to the U.S., characterized by a pyramidal manner of growth.

5. the soft, light wood of a hemlock tree, used in making paper, in the construction of buildings, etc.

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hemlock British  

/ ˈhɛmˌlɒk /

noun

1. US name: poison hemlock.  an umbelliferous poisonous Eurasian plant, Conium maculatum, having finely divided leaves, spotted stems, and small white flowers See also water hemlock

2. a poisonous drug derived from this plant

3. Also called: hemlock spruce.  any coniferous tree of the genus Tsuga, of North America and E Asia, having short flat needles: family Pinaceae See also western hemlock

4. the wood of any of these trees, used for lumber and as a source of wood pulp

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Etymology

Origin of hemlock

before 900; Middle English hemlok, humlok, Old English hymlic, hemlic; perhaps akin to Old English hymele hop plant

Example Sentences

Holy hemlock, and she’s kind of rolling and scrabbling toward me.

From Literature

“I wanted our house to feel really warm and bring nature inside,” says Lindsay, referring to the Western hemlock tongue and groove planks that she and Daniel installed on the walls and ceilings.

From Los Angeles Times

In the air again, somewhere around here, high over the cedars and the firs and the hemlocks that cover the Cascade Mountains, he strapped on two of the parachutes, and he jumped out.

From Los Angeles Times

Poison hemlock also can be distinguished by its flower clusters that look like white umbrellas.

From Seattle Times

A Pacific Northwest forest planted with Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock and larch underplanted with evergreen huckleberry, salal and ferns transitions to an open woodland of native dogwood trees, red twig dogwood and flowering red currant.

From Seattle Times