Alligator pear

Alligator pear
Alligator Al"li*ga`tor, n. [Sp. el lagarto the lizard (el lagarto de Indias, the cayman or American crocodile), fr. L. lacertus, lacerta, lizard. See {Lizard}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A large carnivorous reptile of the Crocodile family, peculiar to America. It has a shorter and broader snout than the crocodile, and the large teeth of the lower jaw shut into pits in the upper jaw, which has no marginal notches. Besides the common species of the southern United States, there are allied species in South America. [1913 Webster]

2. (Mech.) Any machine with strong jaws, one of which opens like the movable jaw of an alligator; as, (a) (Metal Working) a form of squeezer for the puddle ball; (b) (Mining) a rock breaker; (c) (Printing) a kind of job press, called also {alligator press}. [1913 Webster]

{Alligator apple} (Bot.), the fruit of the {Anona palustris}, a West Indian tree. It is said to be narcotic in its properties. --Loudon.

{Alligator fish} (Zo["o]l.), a marine fish of northwestern America ({Podothecus acipenserinus}).

{Alligator gar} (Zo["o]l.), one of the gar pikes ({Lepidosteus spatula}) found in the southern rivers of the United States. The name is also applied to other species of gar pikes.

{Alligator pear} (Bot.), a corruption of {Avocado pear}. See {Avocado}.

{Alligator snapper}, {Alligator tortoise}, {Alligator turtle} (Zo["o]l.), a very large and voracious turtle ({Macrochelys lacertina}) inhabiting the rivers of the southern United States. It sometimes reaches the weight of two hundred pounds. Unlike the common snapping turtle, to which the name is sometimes erroneously applied, it has a scaly head and many small scales beneath the tail. This name is sometimes given to other turtles, as to species of {Trionyx}.

{Alligator wood}, the timber of a tree of the West Indies ({Guarea Swartzii}). [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • alligator pear — n. [altered (? by folk etym. because of the appearance of the skin) < avogato: see AVOCADO] AVOCADO …   English World dictionary

  • alligator pear — noun a pear shaped tropical fruit with green or blackish skin and rich yellowish pulp enclosing a single large seed • Syn: ↑avocado, ↑avocado pear, ↑aguacate • Hypernyms: ↑edible fruit • Part Holonyms: ↑avocado, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • alligator pear — Avocado Av o*ca do, n. [Corrupted from the Mexican ahuacatl: cf. Sp. aguacate, F. aguacat[ e], avocat, G. avogadobaum.] The pulpy fruit of {Persea gratissima}, a tree of tropical America. It is about the size and shape of a large pear; called… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • alligator pear — al′ligator pear n. pln avocado 1) • Etymology: 1755–65; alligator, alter. by folk etym. of Sp avocado or AmerSp aguacate (see avocado) …   From formal English to slang

  • alligator pear — avocado (def. 1). [1755 65; alligator, alter. by folk etym. of Sp avocado or AmerSp aguacate (see AVOCADO)] * * * …   Universalium

  • alligator pear — noun Etymology: by folk etymology from Spanish aguacate more at avocado Date: 1763 avocado …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Alligator pear — Persea (E) …   EthnoBotanical Dictionary

  • alligator pear — noun North American term for avocado …   English new terms dictionary

  • alligator pear — /ˈæləgeɪtə pɛə/ (say aluhgaytuh pair) noun → avocado (def. 1) …  

  • Alligator — Al li*ga tor, n. [Sp. el lagarto the lizard (el lagarto de Indias, the cayman or American crocodile), fr. L. lacertus, lacerta, lizard. See {Lizard}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A large carnivorous reptile of the Crocodile family, peculiar to America. It has… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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