GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 3 definitions

1.       
   ‖Limnæa , prop. n. [NL., fr. Gr. λιμναῖος pertaining to a marsh, fr. λίμη a marsh.] (Zool.) A genus of fresh-water air-breathing mollusks, abundant in ponds and streams; -- called also pond snail. [Written also Lymnæa.]
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2.       
   Pond , n. [Probably originally, an inclosed body of water, and the same word as pound. See Pound an inclosure.] A body of water, naturally or artificially confined, and usually of less extent than a lake. “Through pond or pool.”
   Milton.
   
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   Pond hen (Zool.), the American coot. See Coot (a). -- Pond lily (Bot.), the water lily. See under Water, and Illust. under Nymphæa. -- Pond snail (Zool.), any gastropod living in fresh-water ponds or lakes. The most common kinds are air-breathing snails (Pulmonifera) belonging to Limnæa, Physa, Planorbis, and allied genera. The operculated species are pectinibranchs, belonging to Melantho, Valvata, and various other genera. -- Pond spice (Bot.), an American shrub (Tetranthera geniculata) of the Laurel family, with small oval leaves, and axillary clusters of little yellow flowers. The whole plant is spicy. It grows in ponds and swamps from Virginia to Florida. -- Pond tortoise, Pond turtle (Zool.), any freshwater tortoise of the family Emydidæ. Numerous species are found in North America.
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3.       
   Snail , n. [OE. snaile, AS. snægel, snegel, snægl; akin to G. schnecke, OHG. snecko, Dan. snegl, Icel. snigill.]
   (Zool.) (a) Any one of numerous species of terrestrial air-breathing gastropods belonging to the genus Helix and many allied genera of the family Helicidae. They are abundant in nearly all parts of the world except the arctic regions, and feed almost entirely on vegetation; a land snail. (b) Any gastropod having a general resemblance to the true snails, including fresh-water and marine species. See Pond snail, under Pond, and Sea snail.
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   Hence, a drone; a slow-moving person or thing.
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   (Mech.) A spiral cam, or a flat piece of metal of spirally curved outline, used for giving motion to, or changing the position of, another part, as the hammer tail of a striking clock.
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   A tortoise; in ancient warfare, a movable roof or shed to protect besiegers; a testudo. [Obs.]
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   They had also all manner of gynes [engines] . . . that needful is [in] taking or sieging of castle or of city, as snails, that was naught else but hollow pavises and targets, under the which men, when they fought, were heled [protected], . . . as the snail is in his house; therefore they cleped them snails.
   Vegetius (Trans.).
   
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   (Bot.) The pod of the sanil clover.
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   Ear snail, Edible snail, Pond snail, etc. See under Ear, Edible, etc. -- Snail borer (Zool.), a boring univalve mollusk; a drill. -- Snail clover (Bot.), a cloverlike plant (Medicago scuttellata, also, Medicago Helix); -- so named from its pods, which resemble the shells of snails; -- called also snail trefoil, snail medic, and beehive. -- Snail flower (Bot.), a leguminous plant (Phaseolus Caracalla) having the keel of the carolla spirally coiled like a snail shell. -- Snail shell (Zool.), the shell of snail. -- Snail trefoil. (Bot.) See Snail clover, above.
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