The Collaborative International Dictionary
Mustard \Mus"tard\, n. [OF. moustarde, F. moutarde, fr. L. mustum must, -- mustard was prepared for use by being mixed with must. See Must, n.]
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(Bot.) The name of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica (formerly Sinapis), as white mustard ( Brassica alba), black mustard ( Brassica Nigra), wild mustard or charlock ( Brassica Sinapistrum).
Note: There are also many herbs of the same family which are called mustard, and have more or less of the flavor of the true mustard; as, bowyer's mustard ( Lepidium ruderale); hedge mustard ( Sisymbrium officinale); Mithridate mustard ( Thlaspi arvense); tower mustard ( Arabis perfoliata); treacle mustard ( Erysimum cheiranthoides).
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A powder or a paste made from the seeds of black or white mustard, used as a condiment and a rubefacient. Taken internally it is stimulant and diuretic, and in large doses is emetic.
Mustard oil (Chem.), a substance obtained from mustard, as a transparent, volatile and intensely pungent oil. The name is also extended to a number of analogous compounds produced either naturally or artificially.
Charlock \Char"lock\, n. [AS. cerlic; the latter part perh. fr. AS. le['a]c leek. Cf. Hemlock.] (Bot.) A cruciferous plant ( Brassica sinapistrum) with yellow flowers; wild mustard. It is troublesome in grain fields. Called also chardock, chardlock, chedlock, and kedlock.
Jointed charlock, White charlock, a troublesome weed ( Raphanus Raphanistrum) with straw-colored, whitish, or purplish flowers, and jointed pods: wild radish.