Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Sage

Sage

,
Noun.
[OE.
sauge
, F.
sauge
, L.
salvia
, from
salvus
saved, in allusion to its reputed healing virtues. See
Safe
.]
(Bot.)
(a)
A suffruticose labiate plant (
Salvia officinalis
) with grayish green foliage, much used in flavoring meats, etc. The name is often extended to the whole genus, of which many species are cultivated for ornament, as the scarlet sage, and Mexican red and blue sage.
(b)
The sagebrush.
Meadow sage
(Bot.)
,
a blue-flowered species of
Salvia
(
Salvia pratensis
) growing in meadows in Europe.
Sage cheese
,
cheese flavored with sage, and colored green by the juice of leaves of spinach and other plants which are added to the milk.
Sage cock
(Zool.)
,
the male of the sage grouse; in a more general sense, the specific name of the sage grouse.
Sage green
,
of a dull grayish green color, like the leaves of garden sage.
Sage grouse
(Zool.)
,
a very large American grouse (
Centrocercus urophasianus
), native of the dry sagebrush plains of Western North America. Called also
cock of the plains
. The male is called
sage cock
, and the female
sage hen
.
Sage hare
, or
Sage rabbit
(Zool.)
,
a species of hare (
Lepus Nuttalli
syn.
Lepus artemisia
) which inhabits the arid regions of
Western North America
and lives among sagebrush. By recent writers it is considered to be merely a variety of the common cottontail, or wood rabbit.
Sage hen
(Zool.)
,
the female of the sage grouse.
Sage sparrow
(Zool.)
,
a small sparrow (
Amphispiza Belli
, var.
Nevadensis
) which inhabits the dry plains of the Rocky Mountain region, living among sagebrush.
Sage thrasher
(Zool.)
,
a singing bird (
Oroscoptes montanus
) which inhabits the sagebrush plains of
Western North America
.
Sage willow
(Bot.)
,
a species of willow (
Salix tristis
) forming a low bush with nearly sessile grayish green leaves.

Sage

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Sager
;
sup
erl.
Sagest
.]
[F., fr. L.
sapius
(only in
nesapius
unwise, foolish), fr.
sapere
to be wise; perhaps akin to E.
sap
. Cf.
Savor
,
Sapient
,
Insipid
.]
1.
Having nice discernment and powers of judging; prudent; grave; sagacious.
All you
sage
counselors, hence!
Shakespeare
2.
Proceeding from wisdom; well judged; shrewd; well adapted to the purpose.
Commanders, who, cloaking their fear under show of
sage
advice, counseled the general to retreat.
Milton.
3.
Grave; serious; solemn.
[R.]
“[Great bards] in sage and solemn tunes have sung.”
Milton.
Syn. – Wise; sagacious; sapient; grave; prudent; judicious.

Sage

,
Noun.
A wise man; a man of gravity and wisdom; especially, a man venerable for years, and of sound judgment and prudence; a grave philosopher.
At his birth a star,
Unseen before in heaven, proclaims him come,
And guides the Eastern
sages
.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Sage

SAGE

,
Noun.
A plant of the genius Salvia, of several species; as the officinalis, or common large sage, of several varieties; the tomentosa or balsamic sage; the auriculata, or sage of virtue; and the pomifera.

SAGE

,
Adj.
[L. saga, sagus, sagio. See sagacious.]
1.
Wise; having nice discernment and powers of judging; prudent; grave; as a sage counselor.
2.
Wise; judicious; proceeding from wisdom; well judged; well adapted to the purpose; as sage counsels.

SAGE

,
Noun.
A wise man; a man of gravity and wisdom; particularly, a man venerable for years, and known as a man of sound judgment and prudence; a grave philosopher.
At his birth a star proclaims him come, and guides the eastern sages.
Groves where immortal sages taught.