Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Horsetail
Horse′tailˊ
,Noun.
1.
(Bot.)
A leafless plant, with hollow and rushlike stems. It is of the genus
Equisetum
, and is allied to the ferns. See Illust. of Equisetum
. 2.
A Turkish standard, denoting rank.
☞ Commanders are distinguished by the number of horsetails carried before them. Thus, the sultan has seven, the grand vizier five, and the pashas three, two, or one.