Pea /(pē)/

Pea

n.
  1. The sliding weight on a steelyard.

Pea

n.
  1. See Peak, n., 3. (Naut.)

Pea

n.

pl. Peas, Pease ((pēz))

  1. A plant, and its fruit, of the genus Pisum, of many varieties, much cultivated for food. It has a papilionaceous flower, and the pericarp is a legume, popularly called a pod. (Bot.)
  2. A name given, especially in the Southern States, to the seed of several leguminous plants (species of Dolichos, Cicer, Abrus, etc.) esp. those having a scar (hilum) of a different color from the rest of the seed.

Phrases & Compounds

Beach pea
a seashore plant, Lathyrus maritimus.
Black-eyed pea
a West Indian name for Dolichos sphærospermus and its seed.
Butterfly pea
the American plant Clitoria Mariana, having showy blossoms.
Chick pea
See Chick-pea.
Egyptian pea
Same as Chick-pea.
Everlasting pea
See under Everlasting.
Glory pea
See under Glory, n.
Hoary pea
any plant of the genus Tephrosia; goat's rue.
Issue pea
See under Issue, and Orris.
Milk pea
See under Milk.
Pea berry
a kind of a coffee bean or grain which grows single, and is round or pea-shaped; often used adjectively; as, pea-berry coffee.
Pea bug
Same as Pea weevil.
Pea coal
a size of coal smaller than nut coal.
Pea crab
any small crab of the genus Pinnotheres, living as a commensal in bivalves; esp., the European species (Pinnotheres pisum) which lives in the common mussel and the cockle.
Pea dove
the American ground dove.
Pea-flower tribe
a suborder (Papilionaceæ) of leguminous plants having blossoms essentially like that of the pea.
Pea maggot
the larva of a European moth (Tortrix pisi), which is very destructive to peas.
Pea ore
argillaceous oxide of iron, occurring in round grains of a size of a pea; pisolitic ore.
Pea starch
the starch or flour of the common pea, which is sometimes used in adulterating wheat flour, pepper, etc.
Pea tree
the name of several leguminous shrubs of the genus Caragana, natives of Siberia and China.
Pea vine
Any plant which bears peas
Pea weevil
a small weevil (Bruchus pisi) which destroys peas by eating out the interior.
Pigeon pea
See Pigeon pea.
Sweet pea
the annual plant Lathyrus odoratus; also, its many-colored, sweet-scented blossoms.