{Calabar bean}, The of a climbing legumious plant ({Physostigma venenosum}), a native of tropical Africa. It is highly poisonous. It is used to produce contraction of the pupil of the eye; also in tetanus, neuralgia, and rheumatic diseases; -- called also {ordeal bean}, being used by the negroes in trials for witchcraft. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
Calabar bean — Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magno … Wikipedia
Calabar-bean — /ka lə bärˈbēn or kalˈə / noun The dark brown extremely poisonous seed of the tropical African climbing plant (Physostigma venenosum), a source of ↑physostigmine * * * Calabar bean (kæləˈbɑː ˈbiːn) [From Calabar, on the Gulf of Guinea, in… … Useful english dictionary
Calabar bean — n. [after Calabar, name of a river & town in S Nigeria] the large, brown, poisonous seed of a woody, leguminous tropical African vine (Physostigma venenosum) used in medicine as a source of physostigmine … English World dictionary
calabar-bean — nuodingoji kalabarpupė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pupinių šeimos vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Physostigma venenosum), paplitęs Afrikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Physostigma venenosum angl. calabar bean; ordeal bean vok. Calabarbohne pranc.… … Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)
calabar-bean vine — noun tropical African woody vine yielding calabar beans • Syn: ↑Physostigma venenosum • Hypernyms: ↑vine • Member Holonyms: ↑Physostigma, ↑genus Physostigma • Part Meronyms: ↑ … Useful english dictionary
Calabar bean — the violently poisonous seed of an African climbing plant, Physostigma venenosum, of the legume family, the active principle of which is physostigmine. Also called ordeal bean. [1875 80; named after CALABAR, Nigeria] * * * … Universalium
Calabar bean — Cal′abar bean n. pln the poisonous seed of an African climbing plant, Physostigma venenosum, of the legume family, the active principle of which is physostigmine • Etymology: 1875–80; after Calabar … From formal English to slang
CALABAR BEAN — seed of an African bean, employed in medicine, known as the Ordeal Bean, as, being poisonous, having been used to test the innocence of people charged with witchcraft … The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
Calabar bean — noun Etymology: Calabar, Nigeria Date: 1864 the dark brown highly poisonous leguminous seed of a tropical west African woody vine (Physostigma venenosum) that is used as a source of physostigmine and was used formerly as an ordeal poison in… … New Collegiate Dictionary
Calabar bean — noun the poisonous seed of a tropical West African climbing plant (Physostigma venosum). Origin C19: named after Calabar in Nigeria … English new terms dictionary
