The Collaborative International Dictionary
Cress \Cress\ (kr[e^]s), n.; pl. Cresses (kr[e^]s"[e^]z). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species, chiefly cruciferous. The leaves have a moderately pungent taste, and are used as a salad and antiscorbutic.
Note: The garden cress, called also peppergrass, is the Lepidium sativum; the water cress is the Nasturtium officinale. Various other plants are sometimes called cresses.
To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread.
--Goldsmith.
Bitter cress. See under Bitter.
Not worth a cress, or ``not worth a kers.'' a common old
proverb, now turned into the meaningless ``not worth a
curse.''
--Skeat.