Chestnut \Chest"nut\, n. [For chesten-nut; OE. chestein,
chesten, chastein, chestnut, fr. AS. cisten in cistenbe['a]m
chestnut tree, influenced by OF. chastaigne, F. ch[^a]taigne,
both the AS. and the F. words coming from L. castanea a
chestnut, Gr. ?, fr. ? a city of Pontus, where chestnut trees
grew in abundance, and whence they were introduced into
Europe. Cf. Castanets.]
1. (Bot.) The edible nut of a forest tree (Castanea vesce)
of Europe and America. Commonly two or more of the nuts
grow in a prickly bur.
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2. The tree itself, or its light, coarse-grained timber, used
for ornamental work, furniture, etc.
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3. A bright brown color, like that of the nut.
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4. The horse chestnut (often so used in England).
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5. One of the round, or oval, horny plates on the inner sides
of the legs of the horse, and allied animals.
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6. An old joke or story. [Slang]
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Chestnut tree, a tree that bears chestnuts.
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Chestnut tree
(Heb. _'armon_; i.e., "naked"), mentioned in connection with
Jacob's artifice regarding the cattle (Gen. 30:37). It is one of
the trees of which, because of its strength and beauty, the
Assyrian empire is likened (Ezek. 31:8; R.V., "plane trees"). It
is probably the Oriental plane tree (Platanus orientalis) that
is intended. It is a characteristic of this tree that it
annually sheds its outer bark, becomes "naked." The chestnut
tree proper is not a native of Palestine.
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