oys|ter

oys|ter
oys|ter «OYS tuhr», noun.
1. a kind of mollusk much used as food, having a rough, irregular shll in two halves. Oysters are found in shallow water along seacoasts. There are several kinds. Some kinds yield pearls.
2. an oyster-shaped bit of dark meat found on either side of the back of a fowl.
3. Informal. Figurative. a very reserved or uncommunicative person: »

Secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster (Dickens).

4. Figurative. something from which to take or derive advantage: »

The world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open (Shakespeare).

╂[< Old French oistre < Latin ostrea < Greek óstreon, related to osteón bone]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • oys|ter|age — «OYS tuhr ihj», noun. = oyster bed. (Cf. ↑oyster bed) …   Useful english dictionary

  • oys|ter|man — «OYS tuhr muhn», noun, plural men. 1. a man who gathers, sells, or raises oysters. 2. a boat or ship used to gather oysters …   Useful english dictionary

  • oys|ter|root — «OYS tuhr ROOT, RUT», noun. = salsify. (Cf. ↑salsify) …   Useful english dictionary

  • oys|ter|ing — «OY stuhr ihng», adjective, noun. –adj. having to do with taking or cultivating oysters: »... near the oystering grounds of Louisiana... (Atlantic). –n. the business of taking oysters: »Oystering was his livelihood …   Useful english dictionary

  • oys·ter — /ˈoıstɚ/ noun, pl ters [count] : a type of shellfish that has a rough shell with two parts and that is eaten both cooked and raw the world is your oyster informal ◇ If the world is your oyster, your life is good and you have the ability to do… …   Useful english dictionary

  • oys — oys·ter·age; oys·tered; oys·ter·er; oys·ter·ling; oys·ter·man; oys·tery; oys·ter; …   English syllables

  • ter — ter; ter·a·con·ic; ter·a·cryl·ic; ter·a·glin; ter·aph; ter·as; ter·a·tism; ter·a·to·genesis; ter·a·to·gen·ic; ter·a·to·log·i·cal; ter·a·tol·o·gist; ter·a·tol·o·gy; ter·a·to·ma; ter·a·to·sis; ter·bi·um; ter·centennial; ter·centesimal; ter·ce·ron;… …   English syllables

  • oyster — oys·ter …   English syllables

  • oysterer — oys·ter·er …   English syllables

  • oystercatcher — oys′ter•catch er or oys′ter catch er n. orn any of several heavy billed shorebirds comprising the family Haematopodidae, that have chiefly black and white plumage and feed largely on bivalve mollusks …   From formal English to slang

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