juniper — English Dictionary

Noun

1. Any shrub or tree of the genus Juniperus of the cypress family, which is characterized by pointed, needle-like leaves and aromatic berry-like cones.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   On the mountains a few junipers and piñons are found, and cactuses, agave, and yuccas, low, fleshy plants with bayonets and thorns.

   More examples (3)

   Have a tree or two the witches particularly like, such as the alder, larch, cypress and hemlock; then, to counteract any possible evil effects, there must be a holly, yew, hazel, elder, mountain ash or juniper.

   Sometimes I lost track of them and had to hunt round in a circle, thrusting through sharp-scented bushes, scratching myself on various plants which were still new to me: resinaceous rock-roses, juniper [translating genévriers], ilex, yellow and white asphodel.

   One typical Grecian kiln engorged one thousand muleloads of juniper wood in a single burn. Fifty such kilns would devour six thousand metric tons of trees and brush annually.

2. One of a number of coniferous trees which resemble junipers.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

3. Gin.

   Usage

   • UK usage
   • Archaic
   • Countable
   • Slang
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   […] I said you didn't like them ere strong liquors, but if he warn't particular, I was sure you would pledge him in a glass of juniper, for I had always made you, since we had been man and vife^([sic]), take a drop afore you went to market, to keep cold out.

Noun

1. desert shrub of Syria and Arabia having small white flowers; constitutes the juniper of the Old Testament; sometimes placed in genus Genista

   Synonyms

   retemraetamjuniper bushRetama raetamGenista raetam

   Broader terms

   shrubbush

2. wood of a coniferous shrub or small tree with berrylike cones

   Broader terms

   cypress

3. coniferous shrub or small tree with berrylike cones

   Broader terms

   cypresscypress tree