cucumber
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English cucumer, cucumber, from Old French cocombre, ultimately from Latin cucumis, cucumerem (possibly through an Old Occitan intermediate). Probably of Pre-Italic substrate origin.
PronunciationEdit
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈkjuːˌkʌmbɚ/
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkjuːˌkʌmbə/
- (obsolete) IPA(key): /ˈkaʊˌkʌmbəɹ/[1][2]
Audio (US) (file) - Homophone: Qcumber
NounEdit
cucumber (plural cucumbers)
- A vine in the gourd family, Cucumis sativus.
- 1767, A Lady [Hannah Glasse], The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Eaſy […] [1], page 326:
- ASPARAGUS, cauliflowers, imperial Sileſia, royal and cabbage lettuces, burnet, purſlain, cucumbers, naſturtian flowers, peaſe and beans ſown in October, artichokes, ſcarlet ſtrawberries, and kidney beans.
- The edible fruit of this plant, having a green rind and crisp white flesh.
- Synonym: (informal) cuke
- 1785, James Boswell, quoting Samuel Johnson, Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnſon […] [2], London: Henry Baldwin, page 356:
- […] for it has been a common ſaying of phyſicians in England, that a cucumber ſhould be well ſliced, and dreſſed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.
- 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 14:
- "Why, pepper and salt your reasons!" cried Curl, forgetting to look at the door for a moment: "your pamphlet has talent; but talent is like a cucumber, nothing without the dressing. You must be more personal."
- A person who is calm and self-possessed.
- 1986, Linking Technology and Users, page 41:
- Just a few tips will help even the most anxious of us get a bit of control over the presentation of information and thus appear to be that "cool cucumber" in cognito!
- 1999, Mark Grantham, The Brewery, page 275:
- The guy's a real cucumber.
- 2002, Margaret Fisher, Putting on Mock Trials, page 29:
- That Wolf is one cool cucumber.
- 2018, Derek B. Miller, American By Day, page 65:
- "You're smart," says Irv, pointing at her and nodding his head. "A smart cucumber."
Coordinate termsEdit
Derived termsEdit
- Armenian cucumber
- bitter cucumber
- calm as a cucumber
- cool as a cucumber
- cucumber beetle
- cucumber fish
- cucumber time
- cucumber tree
- cucumberless
- cucumberlike
- cucumbery
- devil's cucumber
- exploding cucumber
- maroon cucumber
- sea cucumber
- serpent cucumber
- slicing cucumber
- snake cucumber
- spotted cucumber beetle
- squirting cucumber
- star cucumber
- wild cucumber
- zombie's cucumber
Related termsEdit
- cucumiform (cucumber-shaped)
TranslationsEdit
plant
|
edible fruit
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
ReferencesEdit
- ^ “Cucumber” in John Walker, A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary […] , London: Sold by G. G. J. and J. Robinſon, Paternoſter Row; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1791, →OCLC.
- ^ Hall, Joseph Sargent (March 2, 1942), “1. The Vowel Sounds of Stressed Syllables”, in The Phonetics of Great Smoky Mountain Speech (American Speech: Reprints and Monographs; 4), New York: King's Crown Press, , →ISBN, § 10, page 38.
Further readingEdit
Middle EnglishEdit
NounEdit
cucumber
- Alternative form of cucumer