*gnu*

‖ [ Gr. &unr_; a willowlike tree, used at a religious festival; confused with &unr_; holy, chaste. ] (Bot.) A species of Vitex (Vitex agnus castus); the chaste tree. Loudon. [ 1913 Webster ]

And wreaths of agnus castus others bore. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ L., lamb of God. ] (R. C. Ch.) (a) A figure of a lamb bearing a cross or flag. (b) A cake of wax stamped with such a figure. It is made from the remains of the paschal candles and blessed by the Pope. (c) A triple prayer in the sacrifice of the Mass, beginning with the words “Agnus Dei.” [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ L., Scythian lamb. ] (Bot.) The Scythian lamb, a kind of woolly-skinned rootstock. See Barometz. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L., a swan. ] (Astron.) A constellation of the northern hemisphere east of, or following, Lyra; the Swan. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a Bœotian marsh plant; &unr_; olive + &unr_; sacred, pure. ] (Bot.) A genus of shrubs or small trees, having the foliage covered with small silvery scales; oleaster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hottentot gnu, or nju: cf. F. gnou. ] (Zool.) One of two species of large South African antelopes of the genus Catoblephas, having a mane and bushy tail, and curved horns in both sexes. [ Written also gnoo. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common gnu or wildebeest (Catoblephas gnu) is plain brown; the brindled gnu or blue wildebeest (C. gorgon) is larger, with transverse stripes of black on the neck and shoulders. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) (a) The pignut. See Hickory. (b) In England, the Bunium flexuosum, a tuberous plant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Interregnums [ L., fr. inter between + regnum dominion, reign. See Reign, and cf. Interreign. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The time during which a throne is vacant between the death or abdication of a sovereign and the accession of his successor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any period during which, for any cause, the executive branch of a government is suspended or interrupted. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ NL., fr. L. lignum wood + Gr. "ro`don a rose.] (Bot.) The fragrant wood of several shrubs and trees, especially of species of Rhodorhiza from the Canary Islands, and of the West Indian Amyris balsamifera. [1913 Webster]

‖n. [ L., wood of life; lignum wood + vita, genitive vitæ, life. ] (Bot.) A tree (Guaiacum officinale) found in the warm latitudes of America, from which the guaiacum of medicine is procured. Its wood is very hard and heavy, and is used for various mechanical purposes, as for the wheels of ships' blocks, cogs, bearings, and the like. See Guaiacum. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In New Zealand the Metrosideros buxifolia is called lignum-vitæ, and in Australia a species of Acacia. The bastard lignum-vitæ is a West Indian tree (Sarcomphalus laurinus). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Neut. sing. of L. magnus great. ] 1. A large wine bottle. [ 1913 Webster ]

They passed the magnum to one another freely. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A bone of the carpus at the base of the third metacarpal bone. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A magnum pistol, or the cartridge such a pistol uses; as, he always carried a .44 magnum. [ PJC ]

a. 1. (Firearms) Having a larger charge than usual for a cartridge of the same caliber; -- of cartridges for handgun; as, a .44 magnum cartridge. [ PJC ]

2. (Firearms) Designed to use a cartridge with a larger charge than usual for handguns of the same caliber; -- of handguns; as, a .44 magnum pistol. [ PJC ]

n. 1. A great work of art or literature. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. The greatest work or achievement of a particular artist, writer, or other individual. [ PJC ]

Inspired by this milieu, [ Max Stirner ] wrote his magnum opus The Ego and Its Own, which was published in November 1844. Svein Nyberg (The Small Max Stirner Web Page, 1988 [ https://web.archive.org/web/19981207014247/http://www.math.uio.no/~solan/stirner/stirner.html ]) [ PJC ]

n. A rolling hitch similar to a clove hitch.
WordNet 1.5

‖n.; pl. Pignora [ L. ] (Rom. Law) A pledge or pawn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) (a) See Groundnut (d). (b) The bitter-flavored nut of a species of hickory (Carya glabra syn. Carya porcina); also, the tree itself. [ 1913 Webster ]