Category:Fruits

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Fruit, n. Etym: [OE. fruit, frut, F. fruit, from L. fructus enjoyment, product, fruit, from frui, p. p. fructus, to enjoy; akin to E. brook, v. t. See Brook, v. t., and cf. Fructify, Frugal.]

1. Whatever is produced for the nourishment or enjoyment of man or animals by the processes of vegetable growth, as corn, grass, cotton, flax, etc.; -- commonly used in the plural. Six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof. Exodus 23:10.

2. (Hort.)

Defn: The pulpy, edible seed vessels of certain plants, especially those grown on branches above ground, as apples, oranges, grapes, melons, berries, etc. See 3.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: The ripened ovary of a flowering plant, with its contents and whatever parts are consolidated with it.

Note: Fruits are classified as fleshy, drupaceous, and -dry. Fleshy fruits include berries, gourds, and melons, orangelike fruita and pomes; drupaceous fruits are stony within and fleshy without, as peaches, plums, and cherries; and dry fruits are further divided into achenes, follicles, legumes, capsules, nuts, and several other kinds.

4. (Bot.)

Defn: The spore cases or conceptacles of flowerless plants, as of ferns, mosses, algae, etc., with the spores contained in them.

6. That which is produced; the effect or consequence of any action; advantageous or desirable product or result; disadvantageous or evil consequence or effect; as, the fruits of labor, of self-denial, of intemperance. The fruit of rashness. Shak. What I obtained was the fruit of no bargain. Burke. They shall eat the fruit of their doings. Is. iii 10. The fruits of this education became visible. Macaulay.

Note: Fruit is frequently used adjectively, signifying of, for, or pertaining to a fruit or fruits; as, fruit bud; fruit frame; fruit jar; fruit knife; fruit loft; fruit show; fruit stall; fruit tree; etc. Fruit bat (Zoöl.), one of the Frugivora; -- called also fruit- eating bat. -- Fruit bud (Bot.), a bud that produces fruit; -- in most plants the same as the power bud. Fruit dot (Bot.), a collection of fruit cases, as in ferns. See Sorus. -- Fruit fly (Zoöl.), a small dipterous insect of the genus Drosophila, which lives in fruit, in the larval state. -- Fruit jar, a jar for holding preserved fruit, usually made of glass or earthenware. -- Fruit pigeon (Zoöl.), one of numerous species of pigeons of the family Carpophagidæ, inhabiting India, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. They feed largely upon fruit. and are noted for their beautiful colors. -- Fruit sugar (Chem.), a kind of sugar occurring, naturally formed, in many ripe fruits, and in honey; levulose. The name is also, though rarely, applied to invert sugar, or to the natural mixture or dextrose and levulose resembling it, and found in fruits and honey. -- Fruit tree (Hort.), a tree cultivated for its edible fruit. -- Fruit worm (Zoöl.), one of numerous species of insect larvæ: which live in the interior of fruit. They are mostly small species of Lepidoptera and Diptera. -- Small fruits (Hort.), currants, raspberries, strawberries, etc.

fruit Fruit, v. i.

Defn: To bear fruit. Chesterfield.

- ---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Fruit - A word as used in Scripture denoting produce in general, whether vegetable or animal. The Hebrews divided the fruits of the land into three classes: (1.) The fruit of the field, "corn-fruit" (Heb. dagan ); all kinds of grain and pulse. (2.) The fruit of the vine, "vintage-fruit" (Heb. tirosh ); grapes, whether moist or dried. (3.) "Orchard-fruits" (Heb. yitshar ), as dates, figs, citrons, etc. Injunctions concerning offerings and tithes were expressed by these Hebrew terms alone (Numbers 18:12; Deuteronomy 14:23). This word "fruit" is also used of children or offspring (Genesis 30:2; Deuteronomy 7:13; Luke 1:42; Psalms 21:10; Psalms 132:11); also of the progeny of beasts (Deuteronomy 28:51; Isaiah 14:29). It is used metaphorically in a variety of forms (Psalms 104:13; Proverbs 1:31; Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 31:16; Isaiah 3:10; Isaiah 10:12; Matthew 3:8; Matthew 21:41; Matthew 26:29; Hebrews 13:15; Romans 7:4, Romans 7:5; Romans 15:28). The fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23; Ephesians 5:9; James 3:17, James 3:18) are those gracious dispositions and habits which the Spirit produces in those in whom he dwells and works.