Mourning \Mourn"ing\, a.
1. Grieving; sorrowing; lamenting.
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2. Employed to express sorrow or grief; worn or used as
appropriate to the condition of one bereaved or sorrowing;
as, mourning garments; a mourning ring; a mourning pin,
and the like.
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Mourning bride (Bot.), a garden flower (Scabiosa
atropurpurea) with dark purple or crimson flowers in
flattened heads.
Mourning dove (Zool.), a wild dove (Zenaidura macroura)
found throughout the United States; -- so named from its
plaintive note. Called also Carolina dove. See Illust.
under Dove.
Mourning warbler (Zool.), an American ground warbler
(Geothlypis Philadelphia). The male has the head, neck,
and chest, deep ash-gray, mixed with black on the throat
and chest; other lower parts are pure yellow.
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Dove \Dove\ (d[u^]v), n. [OE. dove, duve, douve, AS. d[=u]fe;
akin to OS. d[=u]ba, D. duif, OHG. t[=u]ba, G. taube, Icel.
d[=u]fa, Sw. dufva, Dan. due, Goth. d[=u]b[=o]; perh. from
the root of E. dive.]
1. (Zool.) A pigeon of the genus Columba and various
related genera. The species are numerous.
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Note: The domestic dove, including the varieties called
fantails, tumblers, carrier pigeons, etc., was
derived from the rock pigeon (Columba livia) of
Europe and Asia; the turtledove of Europe, celebrated
for its sweet, plaintive note, is Columba turtur or
Turtur vulgaris; the ringdove, the largest of
European species, is Columba palumbus; the Carolina
dove, or Mourning dove, is Zenaidura macroura; the
sea dove is the little auk (Mergulus alle or Alle
alle). See Turtledove, Ground dove, and Rock
pigeon. The dove is a symbol of peace, innocence,
gentleness, and affection; also, in art and in the
Scriptures, the typical symbol of the Holy Ghost.
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2. A word of endearment for one regarded as pure and gentle.
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O my dove, . . . let me hear thy voice. --Cant. ii.
14.
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3. a person advocating peace, compromise or conciliation
rather than war or conflict. Opposite of hawk.
[PJC]
Dove tick (Zool.), a mite (Argas reflexus) which infests
doves and other birds.
Soiled dove, a prostitute. [Slang] Dovecot
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