mare's-tail

American  

[mairz-teyl] / ˈmɛərzˌteɪl /

noun

1. a long narrow cirrus cloud whose flowing appearance somewhat resembles a horse's tail.

2. an erect, aquatic, Old World plant, Hippuris vulgaris, having crowded whorls of narrow, hairlike leaves.

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mare's-tail British  

noun

1. a wisp of trailing cirrus cloud, often indicating high winds in the upper troposphere

2. an erect cosmopolitan pond plant, Hippuris vulgaris, with minute flowers and crowded whorls of narrow leaves: family Hippuridaceae

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Etymology

Origin of mare's-tail

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

There is a disembodied skylark voice somewhere high up in the mare's-tail clouds which veil the earth from too much heat and brightness; and the young heart is unhardened and unspotted from the world.

From Despair's Last Journey by Murray, David Christie

On the shore, where it is marshy, the mare’s-tail flourishes over some acres: there is often a slight marshy odour here, which increases as the foot presses the yielding mud.

From Wild Life in a Southern County by Jefferies, Richard

Long, dappled mare's-tail clouds stretched across the pale November sky, and every now and then the sun shone out between them.

From A harum-scarum schoolgirl by Campbell, John

Ark is also the name of a mare's-tail cloud, or cirrhus, when it forms a streak across the sky.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

Related Words

• darkness
• fog
• gloom
• mist
• puff
• smog
• smoke
• steam
• vapor
• veil