Adjacent Words

Gem definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GEM, n. [L. gemma.]
1. A bud. In botany, the bud or compendium of a plant, covered with scales to protect the rudiments from the cold of winter and other injuries; called the hybernacle or winter quarters of a plant.
2. A precious stone of any kind, as the ruby, topaz, emerald, etc.
GEM, v.t. To adorn with gems, jewels or precious stones.
1. To bespangle; as foliage gemmed with dew drops.
2. To embellish with detached beauties.
England is studded and gemmed with castles and palaces.
GEM, v.i. To bud; to germinate.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: art highly prized for its beauty or perfection [syn: gem, treasure]
2: a crystalline rock that can be cut and polished for jewelry; "he had the gem set in a ring for his wife"; "she had jewels made of all the rarest stones" [syn: gem, gemstone, stone]
3: a person who is as brilliant and precious as a piece of jewelry [syn: jewel, gem]
4: a sweet quick bread baked in a cup-shaped pan [syn: muffin, gem]
5: a precious or semiprecious stone incorporated into a piece of jewelry [syn: jewel, gem, precious stone]

Merriam Webster's

abbreviation ground-effect machine

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English gemme, from Anglo-French, from Latin gemma bud, gem Date: 14th century 1. a. jewel b. a precious or sometimes semiprecious stone cut and polished for ornament 2. a. something prized especially for great beauty or perfection b. a highly prized or well-beloved person 3. muffin II. transitive verb (gemmed; gemming) Date: 1610 to adorn with or as if with gems

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a precious stone, esp. when cut and polished or engraved. 2 an object or person of great beauty or worth. --v.tr. (gemmed, gemming) adorn with or as with gems. Derivatives: gemlike adj. gemmy adj. Etymology: ME f. OF gemme f. L gemma bud, jewel

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gem Gem v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gemmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Gemming] 1. To put forth in the form of buds. ``Gemmed their blossoms.'' [R.] --Milton. 2. To adorn with gems or precious stones. 3. To embellish or adorn, as with gems; as, a foliage gemmed with dewdrops. England is . . . gemmed with castles and palaces. --W. Irving.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gem Gem, n. [OE. gemme precious stone, F. gemme, fr. L. gemma a precious stone, bud.] 1. (Bot.) A bud. From the joints of thy prolific stem A swelling knot is raised called a gem. --Denham. 2. A precious stone of any kind, as the ruby, emerald, topaz, sapphire, beryl, spinel, etc., especially when cut and polished for ornament; a jewel. --Milton. 3. Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, as a small picture, a verse of poetry, a witty or wise saying. Artificial gem, an imitation of a gem, made of glass colored with metallic oxide. Cf. Paste, and Strass.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(gems) 1. A gem is a jewel or stone that is used in jewellery. ...a gold mask inset with emeralds and other gems. N-COUNT 2. If you describe something or someone as a gem, you mean that they are especially pleasing, good, or helpful. (INFORMAL) ...a gem of a hotel, Castel Clara... Miss Famous, as she was called, was a gem. N-COUNT: oft N of n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jem (Pr 26:8, the English Revised Version "a bag of gems,").

See STONES, PRECIOUS.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Jewel, precious stone. 2. (Bot.) Bud, germ. II. v. a. 1. Adorn with gems, begem, jewel, bejewel. 2. Embellish, bespangle, spangle.

Foolish Dictionary

A breakfast muffin. With the newly married, syn. for "a precious stone."

Moby Thesaurus

Danish, Danish pastry, English muffin, Parker House roll, Yorkshire pudding, acceptable person, anklet, armlet, bagel, bangle, bead, beads, bejewel, beribbon, beset, bespangle, bialy, bialystoker, bijou, boast, bracelet, breastpin, brooch, bun, capital fellow, catch, chain, chaplet, charm, chatelaine, circle, clover-leaf roll, coffee cake, coronet, cream, crescent roll, croissant, cross bun, crown, crumpet, crystal, diadem, diamond, earring, elite, engrave, feather, figure, filigree, find, flag, flounce, flower, fob, garland, gem stone, gentleman, godsend, good fellow, good lot, good man, good person, good sort, good thing, good woman, hard roll, honest man, hot cross bun, ideal, illuminate, jewel, kaiser roll, lady, locket, marvel, masterpiece, mensch, muffin, necklace, nonpareil, nose ring, onion roll, paint, pearl, perfect gentleman, perfect lady, persona grata, pick, pin, pinwheel roll, plum, plume, popover, precious stone, pride, pride and joy, prince, prize, quintessence, real man, rhinestone, ribbon, right sort, ring, roll, rough diamond, scone, semiprecious stone, soft roll, spangle, stickpin, stone, tiara, tinsel, torque, treasure, trophy, trouvaille, wampum, windfall, winner, worthy, wreathe, wristband, wristlet