ginger

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A plant (Zingiber officinale) of tropical southeast Asia having yellowish-green flowers and a pungent aromatic rhizome.
2. n. The rhizome of this plant, often dried and powdered and used as a spice. Also called gingerroot.
3. n. Any of several related plants having variously colored, often fragrant flowers.
4. n. Wild ginger.
5. n. A strong brown.
6. n. Informal Spirit and liveliness; vigor.
7. v. To spice with ginger.
8. v. Informal To make lively: A steel drum band gingered up the party.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The rhizome, and also the light-yellow substance of the rhizome, of Zingiber officinale a reed-like perennial plant with annual leafy stems 3 or 4 feet high, and flowers in conical spikes borne on distinct leafless stems. The species is a native of the warmer parts of Asia, though not known in a wild state; it is extensively cultivated throughout tropical Asia, and has been introduced into most other tropical countries. The rhizome has a peculiar agreeable, aromatic odor and a pungent taste, and its substance has been in use as a spice from the remotest times. It is distinguished as black or white, according as it retains its dark integument or has had it removed by scraping. The kind now most esteemed is known as Jamaica ginger, and comes mainly from the island of Jamaica. In medicine ginger is used as a carminative stimulant, and externally as a rubefacient and anodyne, but it is employed much more largely as a condiment than as a drug.
2. Made of or flavored with ginger.
3. Brittle; tender; delicate.
4. n. In the West Indies, any one of several species belonging to the genera Costus and Alpinia (Renealmia of many authors).
5. To put some ‘ginger’ into (a person); shake up; revive.

Wiktionary

1. n. UK, Cockney rhyming slang a homosexual.
2. adj. UK, Cockney rhyming slang homosexual.
3. n. Any plant of a genus (Zingiber, especially Zingiber officinale) of tropical Asiatic and Polynesian herbs of a family (Zingiberaceae, the ginger family) with pungent aromatic rhizomes used as a condiment and as a stimulant and acarminative.
4. n. The rhizome of this plant used as a spice either as it is or in dried powdered form.
5. n. A reddish-brown colour/color.
6. n. colloquial, countable A person with reddish-brown hair; a redhead.
7. n. colloquial, uncountable vitality, vigour, liveliness (of character)
8. adj. Of a reddish-brown colour.
9. adj. flavoured with ginger.
10. v. To add ginger to.
11. v. To enliven, to spice (up).
12. v. To move gingerly.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Zingiber, of the East and West Indies. The species most known is Zingiber officinale.
2. n. The hot and spicy rootstock of Zingiber officinale, which is much used in cookery and in medicine.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. liveliness and energy
2. adj. (used especially of hair or fur) having a bright orange-brown color
3. v. add ginger to in order to add flavor
4. n. dried ground gingerroot
5. n. perennial plants having thick branching aromatic rhizomes and leafy reedlike stems
6. n. pungent rhizome of the common ginger plant; used fresh as a seasoning especially in Asian cookery