Sensitive plant

Sensitive plant
Sensitive Sen"si*tive, a. [F. sensitif. See {Sense}.] 1. Having sense of feeling; possessing or exhibiting the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; as, a sensitive soul. [1913 Webster]

2. Having quick and acute sensibility, either to the action of external objects, or to impressions upon the mind and feelings; highly susceptible; easily and acutely affected. [1913 Webster]

She was too sensitive to abuse and calumny. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

3. (a) (Mech.) Having a capacity of being easily affected or moved; as, a sensitive thermometer; sensitive scales. (b) (Chem. & Photog.) Readily affected or changed by certain appropriate agents; as, silver chloride or bromide, when in contact with certain organic substances, is extremely sensitive to actinic rays. [1913 Webster]

4. Serving to affect the sense; sensible. [R.] [1913 Webster]

A sensitive love of some sensitive objects. --Hammond. [1913 Webster]

5. Of or pertaining to sensation; depending on sensation; as, sensitive motions; sensitive muscular motions excited by irritation. --E. Darwin. [1913 Webster]

{Sensitive fern} (Bot.), an American fern ({Onoclea sensibilis}), the leaves of which, when plucked, show a slight tendency to fold together.

{Sensitive flame} (Physics), a gas flame so arranged that under a suitable adjustment of pressure it is exceedingly sensitive to sounds, being caused to roar, flare, or become suddenly shortened or extinguished, by slight sounds of the proper pitch.

{Sensitive joint vetch} (Bot.), an annual leguminous herb ({[AE]schynomene hispida}), with sensitive foliage.

{Sensitive paper}, paper prepared for photographic purpose by being rendered sensitive to the effect of light.

{Sensitive plant}. (Bot.) (a) A leguminous plant ({Mimosa pudica}, or {M. sensitiva}, and other allied species), the leaves of which close at the slightest touch. (b) Any plant showing motions after irritation, as the sensitive brier ({Schrankia}) of the Southern States, two common American species of Cassia ({C. nictitans}, and {C. Cham[ae]crista}), a kind of sorrel ({Oxalis sensitiva}), etc. [1913 Webster] -- {Sen"si*tive*ly}, adv. -- {Sen"si*tive*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • sensitive plant — n. a tropical American plant (Mimosa pudica) of the mimosa family, with a spiny stem, minute, purplish flowers in spherical clusters, and leaflets that fold and leafstalks that droop at the slightest touch …   English World dictionary

  • sensitive plant — 1. Also called humble plant. a tropical American plant, Mimosa pudica, cultivated in greenhouses, having bipinnate leaves whose leaflets fold together when touched. 2. any of various other plants that are sensitive to touch. [1650 60] * * *… …   Universalium

  • sensitive plant — jautrioji mimoza statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pupinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis augalas (Mimosa pudica), kilęs iš Amerikos atogrąžų. atitikmenys: lot. Mimosa pudica angl. humble plant; mimosa; sensitive plant; sensitive plant;… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • sensitive-plant — jautrioji mimoza statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Pupinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, vaistinis augalas (Mimosa pudica), kilęs iš Amerikos atogrąžų. atitikmenys: lot. Mimosa pudica angl. humble plant; mimosa; sensitive plant; sensitive plant;… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • sensitive plant — /ˈsɛnsətɪv plænt/ (say sensuhtiv plant) noun 1. a Northern Hemisphere plant, Mimosa pudica, with fern like sensitive leaves which fold together when touched. 2. any of various other plants sensitive to touch, as the giant sensitive plant …  

  • sensitive plant — noun 1. prostrate or semi erect subshrub of tropical America, and Australia; heavily armed with recurved thorns and having sensitive soft grey green leaflets that fold and droop at night or when touched or cooled • Syn: ↑touch me not, ↑shame… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sensitive plant — sen′sitive plant n. 1) pln a tropical American plant, Mimosa pudica, with bipinnate leaves whose leaflets fold together when touched 2) pln any of various other plants that are sensitive to touch …   From formal English to slang

  • sensitive plant — noun Date: 1659 any of several mimosas (especially Mimosa pudica) with leaves that fold or droop when touched; broadly a plant responding to touch with movement …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sensitive plant — noun a tropical American plant of the pea family, whose leaflets fold together and leaves bend down when touched. [Mimosa pudica.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • Sensitive plant — Mimosa (E) …   EthnoBotanical Dictionary

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