Part 766

Heath (hth), n. [OE. heth waste land, the plant heath, AS. h; akin to D. & G. heide, Icel. heir waste land, Dan. hede, Sw. hed, Goth. hai˛i field, L. bucetum a cow pasture; cf. W. coed a wood, Skr. kshtra field. √20.] 1. (Bot.) (a) A low shrub (Erica, or Calluna, vulgaris), with minute evergreen leaves, and handsome clusters of pink flowers. It is used in Great Britain for brooms, thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. It is also called heather, and ling. (b) Also, any species of the genus Erica, of which several are European, and many more are South African, some of great beauty. See Illust. of Heather.

2. A place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage.

Their stately growth, though bare, Stands on the blasted heath.

Milton

Heath cock (Zoˆl.), the blackcock. See Heath grouse (below). -- Heath grass (Bot.), a kind of perennial grass, of the genus Triodia (T. decumbens), growing on dry heaths. -- Heath grouse, or Heath game (Zoˆl.), a European grouse (Tetrao tetrix), which inhabits heaths; -- called also black game, black grouse, heath poult, heath fowl, moor fowl. The male is called heath cock, and blackcock; the female, heath hen, and gray hen. -- Heath hen. (Zoˆl.) See Heath grouse (above). -- Heath pea (Bot.), a species of bitter vetch (Lathyrus macrorhizus), the tubers of which are eaten, and in Scotland are used to flavor whisky. -- Heath throstle (Zoˆl.), a European thrush which frequents heaths; the ring ouzel.

Heath"clad` (-kld`), a. Clad or crowned with heath.

Hea"then (h"'n; 277), n.; pl. Heathens (-'nz) or collectively Heathen. [OE. hethen, AS. hen, prop. an adj. fr. h heath, and orig., therefore, one who lives in the country or on the heaths and in the woods (cf. pagan, fr. pagus village); akin to OS. hin, adj., D. heiden a heathen, G. heide, OHG. heidan, Icel. heiinn, adj., Sw. heden, Goth. hai˛n, n. fem. See Heath, and cf. Hoiden.] 1. An individual of the pagan or unbelieving nations, or those which worship idols and do not acknowledge the true God; a pagan; an idolater.

2. An irreligious person.

If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may preach it and they may hear it, and yet both continue unconverted heathens.

V. Knox.

The heathen, as the term is used in the Scriptures, all people except the Jews; now used of all people except Christians, Jews, and Mohammedans.

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance.

Ps. ii. 8.

Syn. -- Pagan; gentile. See Pagan.

Hea"then (h"'n), a. 1. Gentile; pagan; as, a heathen author. "The heathen philosopher." "All in gold, like heathen gods." Shak.

2. Barbarous; unenlightened; heathenish.

3. Irreligious; scoffing.

Hea"then*dom (-dm), n. [AS. hendm.] 1. That part of the world where heathenism prevails; the heathen nations, considered collectively.

2. Heathenism. C. Kingsley.

Hea"then*esse (-s), n. [AS. hennes, i. e., heathenness.] Heathendom. [Obs.] Chaucer. Sir W. Scott.

Hea"then*ish, a. [AS. henisc.] 1. Of or pertaining to the heathen; resembling or characteristic of heathens. "Worse than heathenish crimes." Milton.

2. Rude; uncivilized; savage; cruel. South.

3. Irreligious; as, a heathenish way of living.

Hea"then*ish*ly, adv. In a heathenish manner.

Hea"then*ish*ness, n. The state or quality of being heathenish. "The . . . heathenishness and profaneness of most playbooks." Prynne.

Hea"then*ism (-z'm), n. 1. The religious system or rites of a heathen nation; idolatry; paganism.

2. The manners or morals usually prevalent in a heathen country; ignorance; rudeness; barbarism.

Hea"then*ize (-z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heathenized (-zd); p. pr. & vb. n. Heathenizing (- `zng).] To render heathen or heathenish. Firmin.