ZebraWords.com - The Definition of 'Soldier crab', Synonyms of 'Soldier crab' & More on 'Soldier crab'

1. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Soldier \Sol"dier\, n. [OE. souldier, soudiour, souder, OF.
   soldier, soldoier, soldeier, sodoier, soudoier, soudier, fr.
   L. solidus a piece of money (hence applied to the pay of a
   soldier), fr. solidus solid. See Solid, and cf. Sold, n.]
   1. One who is engaged in military service as an officer or a
      private; one who serves in an army; one of an organized
      body of combatants.
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            I am a soldier and unapt to weep.     --Shak.
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   2. Especially, a private in military service, as
      distinguished from an officer.
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            It were meet that any one, before he came to be a
            captain, should have been a soldier.  --Spenser.
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   3. A brave warrior; a man of military experience and skill,
      or a man of distinguished valor; -- used by way of
      emphasis or distinction. --Shak.
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   4. (Zool.) The red or cuckoo gurnard (Trigla pini.) [Prov.
      Eng.]
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   5. (Zool.) One of the asexual polymorphic forms of white
      ants, or termites, in which the head and jaws are very
      large and strong. The soldiers serve to defend the nest.
      See Termite.
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   Soldier beetle (Zool.), an American carabid beetle
      (Chauliognathus Americanus) whose larva feeds upon other
      insects, such as the plum curculio.

   Soldier bug (Zool.), any hemipterous insect of the genus
      Podisus and allied genera, as the spined soldier bug
      (Podius spinosus). These bugs suck the blood of other
      insects.

   Soldier crab (Zool.)
      (a) The hermit crab.
      (b) The fiddler crab.

   Soldier fish (Zool.), a bright-colored etheostomoid fish
      (Etheostoma coeruleum) found in the Mississippi River;
      -- called also blue darter, and rainbow darter.

   Soldier fly (Zool.), any one of numerous species of small
      dipterous flies of the genus Stratyomys and allied
      genera. They are often bright green, with a metallic
      luster, and are ornamented on the sides of the back with
      markings of yellow, like epaulets or shoulder straps.

   Soldier moth (Zool.), a large geometrid moth (Euschema
      militaris), having the wings bright yellow with bluish
      black lines and spots.

   Soldier orchis (Bot.), a kind of orchis (Orchis
      militaris).
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2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Hermit \Her"mit\, n. [OE. ermite, eremite, heremit, heremite, F.
   hermite, ermite, L. eremita, Gr. ?, fr. ? lonely, solitary.
   Cf. Eremite.]
   1. A person who retires from society and lives in solitude; a
      recluse; an anchoret; especially, one who so lives from
      religious motives.
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            He had been Duke of Savoy, and after a very glorious
            reign, took on him the habit of a hermit, and
            retired into this solitary spot.      --Addison.
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   2. A beadsman; one bound to pray for another. [Obs.] "We rest
      your hermits." --Shak.
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   3. (Cookery) A spiced molasses cookie, often containing
      chopped raisins and nuts.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   Hermit crab (Zool.), a marine decapod crustacean of the
      family Pagurid[ae]. The species are numerous, and belong
      to many genera. Called also soldier crab. The hermit
      crabs usually occupy the dead shells of various univalve
      mollusks. See Illust. of Commensal.

   Hermit thrush (Zool.), an American thrush (Turdus
      Pallasii), with retiring habits, but having a sweet song.
      

   Hermit warbler (Zool.), a California wood warbler
      (Dendroica occidentalis), having the head yellow, the
      throat black, and the back gray, with black streaks.
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3. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Fiddler \Fid"dler\, n. [AS. fi[eth]elere.]
   1. One who plays on a fiddle or violin.
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   2. (Zool.) A burrowing crab of the genus Gelasimus, of many
      species. The male has one claw very much enlarged, and
      often holds it in a position similar to that in which a
      musician holds a fiddle, hence the name; -- called also
      fiddler crab, calling crab, soldier crab, and
      fighting crab.
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   3. (Zool.) The common European sandpiper (Tringoides
      hypoleucus); -- so called because it continually
      oscillates its body.
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   Fiddler crab. (Zool.) See Fiddler, n., 2.
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