What is "saint martin's summer"

Saint \Saint\ (s[=a]nt), n. [F., fr. L. sanctus sacred, properly p. p. of sancire to render sacred by a religious act, to appoint as sacred; akin to sacer sacred. Cf. Sacred, Sanctity, Sanctum, Sanctus.]

1. A person sanctified; a holy or godly person; one eminent for piety and virtue; any true Christian, as being redeemed and consecrated to God.

   Them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.
   --1 Cor. i.

2. 2. One of the blessed in heaven.

   Then shall thy saints, unmixed, and from the impure Far separate, circling thy holy mount, Unfeigned hallelujahs to thee sing.
   --Milton.

3. (Eccl.) One canonized by the church. [Abbrev. St.] Saint Andrew's cross.

   1. A cross shaped like the letter X. See Illust. 4, under Cross.

   2. (Bot.) A low North American shrub ( Ascyrum Crux-Andre[ae], the petals of which have the form of a Saint Andrew's cross.
      --Gray.

      Saint Anthony's cross, a T-shaped cross. See Illust. 6, under Cross.

      Saint Anthony's fire, the erysipelas; -- popularly so called because it was supposed to have been cured by the intercession of Saint Anthony.

      Saint Anthony's nut (Bot.), the groundnut ( Bunium flexuosum); -- so called because swine feed on it, and St. Anthony was once a swineherd.
      --Dr. Prior.

      Saint Anthony's turnip (Bot.), the bulbous crowfoot, a favorite food of swine.
      --Dr. Prior.

      Saint Barnaby's thistle (Bot.), a kind of knapweed ( Centaurea solstitialis) flowering on St. Barnabas's Day, June 11th.
      --Dr. Prior.

      Saint Bernard (Zo["o]l.), a breed of large, handsome dogs celebrated for strength and sagacity, formerly bred chiefly at the Hospice of St. Bernard in Switzerland, but now common in Europe and America. There are two races, the smooth-haired and the rough-haired. See Illust. under Dog.

      Saint Catharine's flower (Bot.), the plant love-in-a-mist. See under Love.

      Saint Cuthbert's beads (Paleon.), the fossil joints of crinoid stems.

      Saint Dabeoc's heath (Bot.), a heatherlike plant ( Dab[oe]cia polifolia), named from an Irish saint.

      Saint Distaff's Day. See under Distaff.

      Saint Elmo's fire, a luminous, flamelike appearance, sometimes seen in dark, tempestuous nights, at some prominent point on a ship, particularly at the masthead and the yardarms. It has also been observed on land, and is due to the discharge of electricity from elevated or pointed objects. A single flame is called a Helena, or a Corposant; a double, or twin, flame is called a Castor and Pollux, or a double Corposant. It takes its name from St. Elmo, the patron saint of sailors.

      Saint George's cross (Her.), a Greek cross gules upon a field argent, the field being represented by a narrow fimbriation in the ensign, or union jack, of Great Britain.

      Saint George's ensign, a red cross on a white field with a union jack in the upper corner next the mast. It is the distinguishing badge of ships of the royal navy of England; -- called also the white ensign.
      --Brande & C.

      Saint George's flag, a smaller flag resembling the ensign, but without the union jack; used as the sign of the presence and command of an admiral. [Eng.]
      --Brande & C.

      Saint Gobain glass (Chem.), a fine variety of soda-lime plate glass, so called from St. Gobain in France, where it was manufactured.

      Saint Ignatius's bean (Bot.), the seed of a tree of the Philippines ( Strychnos Ignatia), of properties similar to the nux vomica.

      Saint James's shell (Zo["o]l.), a pecten ( Vola Jacob[ae]us) worn by pilgrims to the Holy Land. See Illust. under Scallop.

      Saint James's-wort (Bot.), a kind of ragwort ( Senecio Jacob[ae]a).

      Saint John's bread. (Bot.) See Carob.

      Saint John's-wort (Bot.), any plant of the genus Hypericum, most species of which have yellow flowers; -- called also John's-wort.

      Saint Leger, the name of a race for three-year-old horses run annually in September at Doncaster, England; -- instituted in 1776 by Col. St. Leger.

      Saint Martin's herb (Bot.), a small tropical American violaceous plant ( Sauvagesia erecta). It is very mucilaginous and is used in medicine.

      Saint Martin's summer, a season of mild, damp weather frequently prevailing during late autumn in England and the Mediterranean countries; -- so called from St. Martin's Festival, occurring on November 11. It corresponds to the Indian summer in America.
      --Shak.
      --Whittier.

      Saint Patrick's cross. See Illust. 4, under Cross.

      Saint Patrick's Day, the 17th of March, anniversary of the death (about 466) of St. Patrick, the apostle and patron saint of Ireland.

      Saint Peter's fish. (Zo["o]l.) See John Dory, under John.

      Saint Peter's-wort (Bot.), a name of several plants, as Hypericum Ascyron, H. quadrangulum, Ascyrum stans, etc.

      Saint Peter's wreath (Bot.), a shrubby kind of Spir[ae]a ( S. hypericifolia), having long slender branches covered with clusters of small white blossoms in spring.

      Saint's bell. See Sanctus bell, under Sanctus.

      Saint Vitus's dance (Med.), chorea; -- so called from the supposed cures wrought on intercession to this saint.

Summer \Sum"mer\, n. [OE. sumer, somer, AS. sumor, sumer; akin to OFries. sumur, D. zomer, OS. sumar, G. sommer, OHG. & Icel. sumar, Dan. sommer, Sw. sommar, W. haf, Zend hama, Skr. sam[=a] year. [root]292.] The season of the year in which the sun shines most directly upon any region; the warmest period of the year. Note: North of the equator summer is popularly taken to include the months of June, July, and August. Astronomically it may be considered, in the northern hemisphere, to begin with the summer solstice, about June 21st, and to end with the autumnal equinox, about September 22d. Indian summer, in North America, a period of warm weather late in autumn, usually characterized by a clear sky, and by a hazy or smoky appearance of the atmosphere, especially near the horizon. The name is derived probably from the custom of the Indians of using this time in preparation for winter by laying in stores of food. Saint Martin's summer. See under Saint. Summer bird (Zo["o]l.), the wryneck. [Prov. Eng.] Summer colt, the undulating state of the air near the surface of the ground when heated. [Eng.] Summer complaint (Med.), a popular term for any diarrheal disorder occurring in summer, especially when produced by heat and indigestion. Summer coot (Zo["o]l.), the American gallinule. [Local, U.S.] Summer cypress (Bot.), an annual plant ( Kochia Scoparia) of the Goosefoot family. It has narrow, ciliate, crowded leaves, and is sometimes seen in gardens. Summer duck. (Zo["o]l.)

1. The wood duck.

2. The garganey, or summer teal. See Illust. of Wood duck, under Wood. Summer fallow, land uncropped and plowed, etc., during the summer, in order to pulverize the soil and kill the weeds. Summer rash (Med.), prickly heat. See under Prickly. Summer sheldrake (Zo["o]l.), the hooded merganser. [Local, U.S.] Summer snipe. (Zo["o]l.)

   1. The dunlin.

   2. The common European sandpiper.

3. The green sandpiper.

   Summer tanager (Zo["o]l.), a singing bird ( Piranga rubra) native of the Middle and Southern United States. The male is deep red, the female is yellowish olive above and yellow beneath. Called also summer redbird.

   Summer teal (Zo["o]l.), the blue-winged teal. [Local, U.S.]

   Summer wheat, wheat that is sown in the spring, and matures during the summer following. See Spring wheat.

   Summer yellowbird. (Zo["o]l.) See Yellowbird.