Not worth a cress

Not worth a cress
Cress Cress (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s"[e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species, chiefly cruciferous. The leaves have a moderately pungent taste, and are used as a salad and antiscorbutic. [1913 Webster]

Note: The garden cress, called also {peppergrass}, is the {Lepidium sativum}; the water cress is the {Nasturtium officinale}. Various other plants are sometimes called cresses. [1913 Webster]

To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]

{Bitter cress}. See under {Bitter}.

{Not worth a cress}, or {``not worth a kers.''} a common old proverb, now turned into the meaningless ``not worth a curse.'' --Skeat. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • not worth a kers'' — Cress Cress (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s [e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Not worth a kers — Kers Kers, Kerse Kerse, n. A cress. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] {Not worth a kers}. See under {Cress}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Not worth a curse — Curse Curse, n. [AS. curs. See {Curse}, v. t.] 1. An invocation of, or prayer for, harm or injury; malediction. [1913 Webster] Lady, you know no rules of charity, Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Evil… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cress — (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s [e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species, chiefly… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bitter cress — Cress Cress (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s [e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cresses — Cress Cress (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s [e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lepidium sativum — Cress Cress (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s [e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Nasturtium officinale — Cress Cress (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s [e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • peppergrass — Cress Cress (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. {Cresses} (kr[e^]s [e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Kers — Kers, Kerse Kerse, n. A cress. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] {Not worth a kers}. See under {Cress}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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