2. A weight of four grains; a carat; — a term used by jewelers, and refiners of gold.
Silique
(Sil"ique) n. [L. siliqua a pod or husk, a very small weight or measure: cf. F. silique.] (Bot.)
An oblong or elongated seed vessel, consisting of two valves with a dissepiment between, and opening
by sutures at either margin. The seeds are attached to both edges of the dissepiment, alternately upon
each side of it.
Siliquiform
(Sil"i*qui*form) a. [Silique + -form: cf. F. siliquiforme.] (Bot.) Having the form of a silique.
Siliquosa
(||Sil`i*quo"sa) n. pl. [NL. See Siliquose.] (Bot.) A Linnæan order of plants including those
which bear siliques.
Siliquose
(Sil"i*quose` Sil"i*quous) a. [NL. siliquosus: cf. F. siliqueux.] (Bot.) Bearing siliques; as,
siliquose plants; pertaining to, or resembling, siliques; as, siliquose capsules.
Silk
(Silk) n. [OE. silk, selk, AS. seolc, seoloc; akin to Icel. silki, SW. & Dan. silke; prob. through
Slavic from an Oriental source; cf. Lith. szilkai, Russ. shelk', and also L. sericum Seric stuff, silk. Cf.
Sericeous. Serge a woolen stuff.]
1. The fine, soft thread produced by various species of caterpillars in forming the cocoons within which
the worm is inclosed during the pupa state, especially that produced by the larvæ of Bombyx mori.
2. Hence, thread spun, or cloth woven, from the above-named material.
3. That which resembles silk, as the filiform styles of the female flower of maize.
Raw silk, silk as it is wound off from the cocoons, and before it is manufactured. — Silk cotton, a
cottony substance enveloping the seeds of the silk-cotton tree. — Silk-cotton tree (Bot.), a name for
several tropical trees of the genera Bombax and Eriodendron, and belonging to the order Bombaceæ.
The trees grow to an immense size, and have their seeds enveloped in a cottony substance, which is
used for stuffing cushions, but can not be spun. — Silk flower. (Bot.) (a) The silk tree. (b) A similar
tree (Calliandra trinervia) of Peru. — Silk fowl (Zoöl.), a breed of domestic fowls having silky plumage.
— Silk gland (Zoöl.), a gland which secretes the material of silk, as in spider or a silkworm; a sericterium.
— Silk gown, the distinctive robe of a barrister who has been appointed king's or queen's counsel; hence,
the counsel himself. Such a one has precedence over mere barristers, who wear stuff gowns. [Eng.]
— Silk grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Stipa comata) of the Western United States, which has very
long silky awns. The name is also sometimes given to various species of the genera Aqave and Yucca.
— Silk moth (Zoöl.), the adult moth of any silkworm. See Silkworm. — Silk shag, a coarse, rough-
woven silk, like plush, but with a stiffer nap. — Silk spider (Zoöl.), a large spider native of the Southern
United States, remarkable for the large quantity of strong silk it produces and for the great disparity in
the sizes of the sexes. — Silk thrower, Silk throwster, one who twists or spins silk, and prepares
it for weaving. Brande & C. — Silk tree (Bot.), an Asiatic leguminous tree (Albizzia Julibrissin) with
finely bipinnate leaves, and large flat pods; — so called because of the abundant long silky stamens of
its blossoms. Also called silk flower. — Silk vessel. (Zoöl.) Same as Silk gland, above. — Virginia
silk (Bot.), a climbing plant (Periploca Græca) of the Milkweed family, having a silky tuft on the seeds. It
is native in Southern Europe.
Silken
(Silk"en) a. [AS. seolcen, seolocen.]
1. Of or pertaining to silk; made of, or resembling, silk; as, silken cloth; a silken veil.
2. Fig.: Soft; delicate; tender; smooth; as, silken language. "Silken terms precise." Shak.
3. Dressed in silk. "A . . . silken wanton." Shak.
Silken
(Silk"en), v. t. To render silken or silklike. Dyer.
