Hypertext Webster Gateway: "swordfish"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Swordfish \Sword"fish`\, n.
1. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A very large oceanic fish ({Xiphias gladius}), the
only representative of the family {Xiphiid[ae]}. It is
highly valued as a food fish. The bones of the upper
jaw are consolidated, and form a long, rigid,
swordlike beak; the dorsal fin is high and without
distinct spines; the ventral fins are absent. The
adult is destitute of teeth. It becomes sixteen feet
or more long.
(b) The gar pike.
(c) The cutlass fish.
2. (Astron.) A southern constellation. See {Dorado}, 1.
{Swordfish sucker} (Zo["o]l.), a remora ({Remora
brachyptera}) which attaches itself to the swordfish.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Cutlass \Cut"lass\ (k[u^]t"las), n.; pl. {Cutlasses} (-[e^]z).
[F. coutelas (cf. It. coltellaccio), augm. fr. L. cultellus a
small knife, dim. of culter knife. See {Colter}, and cf.
{Curtal ax}.]
A short, heavy, curving sword, used in the navy. See {Curtal
ax}.
{Cutlass fish}, (Zo["o]l.), a peculiar, long, thin, marine
fish ({Trichiurus lepturus}) of the southern United States
and West Indies; -- called also {saber fish}, {silver
eel}, and, improperly, {swordfish}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
swordfish
n 1: flesh of swordfish usually served as steaks
2: large toothless marine food fish with a long swordlike upper
jaw; not completely cold-blooded i.e. they are able to
warm their brains and eyes: worldwide in warm waters but
feed on cold ocean floor coming to surface at night [syn:
{Xiphias gladius}]
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