tea

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An eastern Asian evergreen shrub or small tree (Camellia sinensis) having fragrant, nodding, cup-shaped white flowers and glossy leaves.
2. n. The young, dried leaves of this plant, prepared by various processes and used to make a hot beverage.
3. n. An aromatic, slightly bitter beverage made by steeping tea leaves in boiling water.
4. n. Any of various beverages, made as by steeping the leaves of certain plants or by extracting an infusion especially from beef.
5. n. Any of various plants having leaves used to make a tealike beverage.
6. n. A tea rose.
7. n. Chiefly British An afternoon refreshment consisting usually of sandwiches and cakes served with tea.
8. n. Chiefly British High tea.
9. n. An afternoon reception or social gathering at which tea is served.
10. n. Slang Marijuana.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A product consisting of the prepared leaves of the tea-plant (see def. 2), of various kinds and qualities depending chiefly on the method of treatment. Black tea is manufactured by a process of withering under the influence of light, heat, and air, rolling, fermenting, sunning, and firing (heating with charcoal in a sieve); green tea by a more rapid process without the withering and fermenting, and with more firing. Among the chief black teas are bohea, congou, souchong, caper-tea, oolong, and pekoe; among the green, twankay, hyson skin, young hyson, hyson, imperial, and gunpowder. The gunpowder is the finest green, the pekoe the finest black, both being made from the first pickings—flowery pekoe from leaves so young as to be still covered with down. A third group of teas is known as the scented, generally of poorer quality, flavored with the flowers of the fragrant olive (see Osmanthus), of the chulan, and sometimes of the Cape jasmine (see Gardenia) and of other plants. This classification applies more especially to Chinese teas. Tea became known in Europe during the seventeenth century. Among western nations the greatest consumers of tea are Great Britain, Russia, and the United States.
2. n. The tea-plant, Camellia theifera, often named Thea Sinensis (or Chinensis). The tea-plant is a shrub from 3 to 6 feet high, with leaves from 4 to 8 inches long and from 1½ to 2½ inches broad, and tapering toward both ends; the flowers are white, and about 1¼ inches broad. The cultivated plant is of a more contracted habit, with smaller, more obtuse, and leathery leaves. The plant is known to grow wild in upper Assam, the form there found having sometimes been distinguished as Thea Assamica, forming, with its varieties, Assam tea. The Assam plant is much superior to the Chinese, and the teas most planted are hybrids of the two. The Chinese tea has two varieties, formerly distinguished as Thea Bohea and T. viridis, black and green tea; but either kind of tea can be made from either plant. China is the great seat of tea-culture; but tea is also extensively grown in Japan, having been introduced in the reign of Saga Tennō (a. d. 810-23), also in India and Java. Promising experiments have been made in Madagascar, Natal, Jamaica, etc. In the United States it can be grown successfully in the South and in California; but the cost of labor has thus far prevented its economic success.
3. n. An infusion of the prepared leaves of the tea-plant, used as a beverage, in Great Britain and America commonly with the addition of a little milk or sugar, or both, in continental Europe often with a little spirit, in Russia with lemon, and in China and neighboring countries without any admixture. Its action is stimulating and invigorating, and, owing to the presence of tannin, more or less astringent. Its main quality depends upon the alkaloid thein; the leaf contains also volatile oils, which give it its fragrance, and some other substances. Excessive use, especially of green tea, affects the nervous system unfavorably. While tea contains but trifling nutriment, it is held to retard the waste of the tissues and diminish the need of food.
4. n. A similar infusion of the leaves, roots, etc., of various other plants, used either medicinally or as a beverage: generally with a qualifying word. See phrases below.
5. n. The evening meal, at which tea is usually served; also, an afternoon entertainment at which tea is served: as, a five o'clock tea. See high tea, under high.
6. n. Urine.
7. n. Same as mate.
8. n. See Psoralea.
9. To take tea.
10. To give tea to; serve with tea: as, to dine and tea a party of friends.
11. See tae.

Wiktionary

1. n. uncountable The dried leaves or buds of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.
2. n. uncountable The drink made by infusing these dried leaves or buds in hot water.
3. n. countable A variety of the tea plant
4. n. uncountable By extension, any drink made by infusing parts of various other plants.
5. n. countable, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand A cup of any one of these drinks, often with a small amount of milk or cream added and sweetened with sugar or honey.
6. n. countable, southern US A glass of iced tea, typically served with ice cubes and sometimes with a slice or wedge of lemon.
7. n. uncountable, UK A light meal eaten mid-afternoon, typically with tea.
8. n. uncountable, New Zealand, UK, Australia The main evening meal, irrespective of whether tea is drunk with it.
9. n. cricket The break in play between the second and third sessions.
10. n. slang, dated Marijuana.
11. v. To drink tea
12. v. To take afternoon tea (the light meal)

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The prepared leaves of a shrub, or small tree (Thea Chinensis or Camellia Chinensis). The shrub is a native of China, but has been introduced to some extent into some other countries.
2. n. A decoction or infusion of tea leaves in boiling water.
3. n. Any infusion or decoction, especially when made of the dried leaves of plants
4. n. The evening meal, at which tea is usually served; supper.
5. v. colloq. To take or drink tea.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes
2. n. a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
3. n. a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree extensively cultivated in e.g. China and Japan and India; source of tea leaves
4. n. a reception or party at which tea is served
5. n. dried leaves of the tea shrub; used to make tea