Palm, n. [AS. palm, L. palma; -- so named fr. the leaf resembling a
hand. See lst Palm, and cf. Pam.]
1. (Bot.) Any endogenous tree of the order PalmÊ or PalmaceÊ; a palm
tree.
Palms are perennial woody plants, often of majestic size. The trunk is
usually erect and rarely branched, and has a roughened exterior
composed of the persistent bases of the leaf stalks. The leaves are
borne in a terminal crown, and are supported on stout, sheathing, often
prickly, petioles. They are usually of great size, and are either
pinnately or palmately many-cleft. There are about one thousand species
known, nearly all of them growing in tropical or semitropical regions.
The wood, petioles, leaves, sap, and fruit of many species are
invaluable in the arts and in domestic economy. Among the best known
are the date palm, the cocoa palm, the fan palm, the oil palm, the wax
palm, the palmyra, and the various kinds called cabbage palm and
palmetto.
2. A branch or leaf of the palm, anciently borne or worn as a symbol of
victory or rejoicing.
A great multitude . . . stood before the throne, and before the
Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palme in their hands.
Rev. vii. 9.
3. Hence: Any symbol or token of superiority, success, or triumph;
also, victory; triumph; supremacy. "The palm of martyrdom." Chaucer.
So get the start of the majestic world And bear the palm alone.
Shak.
Molucca palm (Bot.), a labiate herb from Asia (Molucella lÊvis), having
a curious cup-shaped calyx. -- Palm cabbage, the terminal bud of a
cabbage palm, used as food. -- Palm cat (Zoˆl.), the common paradoxure.
-- Palm crab (Zoˆl.), the purse crab. -- Palm oil, a vegetable oil,
obtained from the fruit of several species of palms, as the African oil
palm (ElÊis Guineensis), and used in the manufacture of soap and
candles. See ElÊis. -- Palm swift (Zoˆl.), a small swift (Cypselus
Batassiensis) which frequents the palmyra and cocoanut palms in India.
Its peculiar nest is attached to the leaf of the palmyra palm. -- Palm
toddy. Same as Palm wine. -- Palm weevil (Zoˆl.), any one of mumerous
species of very large weevils of the genus Rhynchophorus. The larvÊ
bore into palm trees, and are called palm borers, and grugru worms.
They are considered excellent food. -- Palm wine, the sap of several
species of palms, especially, in India, of the wild date palm (Phúnix
sylvestrix), the palmyra, and the Caryota urens. When fermented it
yields by distillation arrack, and by evaporation jaggery. Called also
palm toddy. -- Palm worm, or Palmworm. (Zoˆl.) (a) The larva of a palm
weevil. (b) A centipede.
Palm (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Palmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Palming.] 1.
To handle. [Obs.] Prior.