Note: The kind of tree referred to, in any particular case,
is often indicated by a modifying word; as forest tree,
fruit tree, palm tree, apple tree, pear tree, etc.
2. Something constructed in the form of, or considered as
resembling, a tree, consisting of a stem, or stock, and
branches; as, a genealogical tree.
3. A piece of timber, or something commonly made of timber;
-- used in composition, as in axletree, boottree,
chesstree, crosstree, whiffletree, and the like.
4. A cross or gallows; as Tyburn tree.
[Jesus] whom they slew and hanged on a tree. --Acts
x. 39.
5. Wood; timber. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
In a great house ben not only vessels of gold and of
silver but also of tree and of earth. --Wyclif (2
Tim. ii. 20).
6. (Chem.) A mass of crystals, aggregated in arborescent
forms, obtained by precipitation of a metal from solution.
See {Lead tree}, under {Lead}.
{Tree bear} (Zo["o]l.), the raccoon. [Local, U. S.]
{Tree beetle} (Zo["o]l.) any one of numerous species of
beetles which feed on the leaves of trees and shrubs, as
the May beetles, the rose beetle, the rose chafer, and the
goldsmith beetle.
{Tree bug} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
hemipterous insects which live upon, and suck the sap of,
trees and shrubs. They belong to {Arma}, {Pentatoma},
{Rhaphigaster}, and allied genera.
{Tree cat} (Zool.), the common paradoxure ({Paradoxurus
musang}).
{Tree clover} (Bot.), a tall kind of melilot ({Melilotus
alba}). See {Melilot}.
{Tree crab} (Zo["o]l.), the purse crab. See under {Purse}.
{Tree creeper} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
arboreal creepers belonging to {Certhia}, {Climacteris},
and allied genera. See {Creeper}, 3.
{Tree cricket} (Zo["o]l.), a nearly white arboreal American
cricket ({Ecanthus niv[oe]us}) which is noted for its loud
stridulation; -- called also {white cricket}.
{Tree crow} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of Old
World crows belonging to {Crypsirhina} and allied genera,
intermediate between the true crows and the jays. The tail
is long, and the bill is curved and without a tooth.
{Tree dove} (Zo["o]l.) any one of several species of East
Indian and Asiatic doves belonging to {Macropygia} and
allied genera. They have long and broad tails, are chiefly
arboreal in their habits, and feed mainly on fruit.
{Tree duck} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of ducks
belonging to {Dendrocygna} and allied genera. These ducks
have a long and slender neck and a long hind toe. They are
arboreal in their habits, and are found in the tropical
parts of America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
{Tree fern} (Bot.), an arborescent fern having a straight
trunk, sometimes twenty or twenty-five feet high, or even
higher, and bearing a cluster of fronds at the top. Most
of the existing species are tropical.
{Tree fish} (Zo["o]l.), a California market fish
({Sebastichthys serriceps}).
{Tree frog}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) Same as {Tree toad}.
(b) Any one of numerous species of Old World frogs
belonging to {Chiromantis}, {Rhacophorus}, and allied
genera of the family {Ranid[ae]}. Their toes are
furnished with suckers for adhesion. The flying frog
(see under {Flying}) is an example.
{Tree goose} (Zo["o]l.), the bernicle goose.
{Tree hopper} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
small leaping hemipterous insects which live chiefly on
the branches and twigs of trees, and injure them by
sucking the sap. Many of them are very odd in shape, the
prothorax being often prolonged upward or forward in the
form of a spine or crest.
{Tree jobber} (Zo["o]l.), a woodpecker. [Obs.]
{Tree kangaroo}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Kangaroo}.
{Tree lark} (Zo["o]l.), the tree pipit. [Prov. Eng.]
{Tree lizard} (Zo["o]l.), any one of a group of Old World
arboreal lizards ({Dendrosauria}) comprising the
chameleons.
{Tree lobster}. (Zo["o]l.) Same as {Tree crab}, above.
{Tree louse} (Zo["o]l.), any aphid; a plant louse.
{Tree moss}. (Bot.)
(a) Any moss or lichen growing on trees.
(b) Any species of moss in the form of a miniature tree.
{Tree mouse} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
African mice of the subfamily {Dendromyin[ae]}. They have
long claws and habitually live in trees.
{Tree nymph}, a wood nymph. See {Dryad}.
{Tree of a saddle}, a saddle frame.
{Tree of heaven} (Bot.), an ornamental tree ({Ailantus
glandulosus}) having long, handsome pinnate leaves, and
greenish flowers of a disagreeable odor.
{Tree of life} (Bot.), a tree of the genus Thuja; arbor
vit[ae].
{Tree onion} (Bot.), a species of garlic ({Allium
proliferum}) which produces bulbs in place of flowers, or
among its flowers.
{Tree oyster} (Zo["o]l.), a small American oyster ({Ostrea
folium}) which adheres to the roots of the mangrove tree;
-- called also {raccoon oyster}.
{Tree pie} (Zo["o]l.), any species of Asiatic birds of the
genus {Dendrocitta}. The tree pies are allied to the
magpie.
{Tree pigeon} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
longwinged arboreal pigeons native of Asia, Africa, and
Australia, and belonging to {Megaloprepia}, {Carpophaga},
and allied genera.
{Tree pipit}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Pipit}.
{Tree porcupine} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
Central and South American arboreal porcupines belonging
to the genera {Ch[ae]tomys} and {Sphingurus}. They have an
elongated and somewhat prehensile tail, only four toes on
the hind feet, and a body covered with short spines mixed
with bristles. One South American species ({S. villosus})
is called also {couiy}; another ({S. prehensilis}) is
called also {c[oe]ndou}.
{Tree rat} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of large
ratlike West Indian rodents belonging to the genera
{Capromys} and {Plagiodon}. They are allied to the
porcupines.
{Tree serpent} (Zo["o]l.), a tree snake.
{Tree shrike} (Zo["o]l.), a bush shrike.
{Tree snake} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
snakes of the genus {Dendrophis}. They live chiefly among
the branches of trees, and are not venomous.
{Tree sorrel} (Bot.), a kind of sorrel ({Rumex Lunaria})
which attains the stature of a small tree, and bears
greenish flowers. It is found in the Canary Islands and
Teneriffe.
{Tree sparrow} (Zo["o]l.) any one of several species of small
arboreal sparrows, especially the American tree sparrow
({Spizella monticola}), and the common European species
({Passer montanus}).
{Tree swallow} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
swallows of the genus {Hylochelidon} which lay their eggs
in holes in dead trees. They inhabit Australia and
adjacent regions. Called also {martin} in Australia.
{Tree swift} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of swifts
of the genus {Dendrochelidon} which inhabit the East
Indies and Southern Asia.
{Tree tiger} (Zo["o]l.), a leopard.
{Tree toad} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of
amphibians belonging to {Hyla} and allied genera of the
family {Hylid[ae]}. They are related to the common frogs
and toads, but have the tips of the toes expanded into
suckers by means of which they cling to the bark and
leaves of trees. Only one species ({Hyla arborea}) is
found in Europe, but numerous species occur in America and
Australia. The common tree toad of the Northern United
States ({H. versicolor}) is noted for the facility with
which it changes its colors. Called also {tree frog}. See
also {Piping frog}, under {Piping}, and {Cricket frog},
under {Cricket}.
{Tree warbler} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
arboreal warblers belonging to {Phylloscopus} and allied
genera.
{Tree wool} (Bot.), a fine fiber obtained from the leaves of
pine trees.
2. To place upon a tree; to fit with a tree; to stretch upon
a tree; as, to tree a boot. See {Tree}, n., 3.