spear grass

American  

noun

1. any of various grasses, as a meadow grass or a bent grass, having lance-shaped leaves or floral spikes.

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spear grass British  

noun

1. another name for wild Spaniard

2. any of various native Australian grasses, esp of the genera Stipa or Heteropogon , with sharp-pointed seeds

3. any of various grasses with sharp stiff blades or seeds

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Etymology

Origin of spear grass

First recorded in 1540–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spear grass

He took it up in his hands; and when he held it in his hands, he saw that it was not an arrow but a blade of spear grass.

From Blackfoot Lodge Tales The Story of a Prairie People by George Bird Grinnell

Some of the ground was very scrubby and boggy, and better, though not well grassed, too much spear grass occuring.

From Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland by Frederick J. Byerley

Native grasses are the white clover, spear grass, blue grass, fox-tail and crab grass, the two last-named being summer or annual grasses.

From History and Comprehensive Description of Loudoun County, Virginia by James William Head

The same strip of soft sandy flat about half-a-mile wide continued, but better grassed, although the spear grass was far too common.

From Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland by Frederick J. Byerley

They soon disappeared into a jungle of spear grass, above which the sunrise was spreading its bands of smoky gold and rose.

From Sacrifice by Stephen French Whitman