pine1
- any evergreen, coniferous tree of the genus Pinus, having long, needle-shaped leaves, certain species of which yield timber, turpentine, tar, pitch, etc.Compare pine family.
- any of various similar coniferous trees.
- the wood of the pine tree.
- Informal. the pineapple.
Origin of pine1
pine2
- to yearn deeply; suffer with longing; long painfully (often followed by for): to pine for one's home and family.
- to fail gradually in health or vitality from grief, regret, or longing (often followed by away): Separated by their families, the lovers pined away.
- Archaic. to be discontented; fret.
- Archaic. to suffer grief or regret over.
- Archaic. painful longing.
Origin of pine2
Synonyms
See more synonyms for pine on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for pine
Contemporary Examples
Blister rust is like having the flu; the pine beetle is like fast acting leukemia.
Meat, especially outside the park, is a nutritious but deadly alternative to pine nuts.
And, if these alternative foods were indeed similar in food value to pine nuts, why are the bears not already wolfing them down?
And pine nuts are 30 times more caloric than false truffles.
Snow-capped mountains emerge gently into view in the distance, covered in pine trees at the highest elevations.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban ValleyMatt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman
November 15, 2014
Historical Examples
Do you remember that picture you drew with charcoal on a piece of pine board?
Chip, of the Flying UB. M. Bower
At least, I did not pine overmuch for the Valley I had left behind.
In the ValleyHarold Frederic
She did not pine or grieve; she only began slowly to wonder what she could do for Eben now.
Hetty's Strange HistoryAnonymous
They were thickly wooded, for the most part with juniper and pine.
The Inn at the Red OakLatta Griswold
The pine kissed the leaping flames and a fire was kindled in its own heart.
Classic MythsMary Catherine Judd
pine1
- any evergreen resinous coniferous tree of the genus Pinus, of the N hemisphere, with long needle-shaped leaves and brown cones: family PinaceaeSee also longleaf pine, nut pine, pitch pine, Scots pine
- any other tree or shrub of the family Pinaceae
- the wood of any of these trees
- any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as ground pine and screw pine
Word Origin
pine2
- (intr; often foll by for or an infinitive) to feel great longing or desire; yearn
- (intr often foll by away) to become ill, feeble, or thin through worry, longing, etc
- (tr) archaic to mourn or grieve for
Word Origin
Pine
- Courtney. born 1964, British jazz saxophonist and clarinettist
Word Origin and History for pine
n.
"coniferous tree," Old English pin (in compounds), from Old French pin and directly from Latin pinus "pine, pine-tree, fir-tree," perhaps in reference to the sap or pitch, from PIE *peie- "to be fat, swell" (see fat (adj.)). Cf. Sanskrit pituh "juice, sap, resin," pitudaruh "pine tree," Greek pitys "pine tree." Also cf. pitch (n.1). Pine-top "cheap illicit whiskey," first recorded 1858, Southern U.S. slang. Pine-needle (n.) attested from 1866.
v.
Old English pinian "to torture, torment, afflict, cause to suffer," from *pine "pain, torture, punishment," possibly ultimately from Latin poena "punishment, penalty," from Greek poine (see penal). A Latin word borrowed into Germanic (cf. Middle Dutch pinen, Old High German pinon, German Pein, Old Norse pina) with Christianity. Intransitive sense of "to languish, waste away," the main modern meaning, is first recorded early 14c. Related: Pined; pining.