Part 36

Coleridge.

Zeal"ous (?; 277), a. [LL. zelosus. See Zeal.]

1. Filled with, or characterized by, zeal; warmly engaged, or ardent, in behalf of an object.

He may be zealous in the salvation of souls.

Law.

2. Filled with religious zeal. [Obs.] Shak.

-- Zeal"ous*ly, adv. -- Zeal"ous*ness, n.

Ze"bec (?), n. (Naut.) See Xebec.

Ze"bra (?), n. [Pg. zebra; cf. Sp. cebra; probably from a native African name.] (Zoöl.) Either one of two species of South African wild horses remarkable for having the body white or yellowish white, and conspicuously marked with dark brown or brackish bands.

The true or mountain zebra (Equus, or Asinus, zebra) is nearly white, and the bands which cover the body and legs are glossy black. Its tail has a tuft of black hair at the tip. It inhabits the mountains of Central and Southern Africa, and is noted for its wariness and wildness, as well as for its swiftness. The second species (Equus, or Asinus, Burchellii), known as Burchell's zebra, and dauw, inhabits the grassy plains of South Africa, and differs from the preceding in not having dark bands on the legs, while those on the body are more irregular. It has a long tail, covered with long white flowing hair.

Zebra caterpillar, the larva of an American noctuid moth (Mamestra picta). It is light yellow, with a broad black stripe on the back and one on each side; the lateral stripes are crossed with withe lines. It feeds on cabbages, beets, clover, and other cultivated plants. -- Zebra opossum, the zebra wolf. See under Wolf. -- Zebra parrakeet, an Australian grass parrakeet, often kept as a cage bird. Its upper parts are mostly pale greenish yellow, transversely barred with brownish black crescents; the under parts, rump, and upper tail coverts, are bright green; two central tail feathers and the cheek patches are blue. Called also canary parrot, scallop parrot, shell parrot, and undulated parrot. -- Zebra poison (Bot.), a poisonous tree (Euphorbia arborea) of the Spurge family, found in South Africa. Its milky juice is so poisonous that zebras have been killed by drinking water in which its branches had been placed, and it is also used as an arrow poison. J. Smith (Dict. Econ. Plants). -- Zebra shark. Same as Tiger shark, under Tiger. -- Zebra spider, a hunting spider. -- Zebra swallowtail, a very large North American swallow-tailed butterfly (Iphiclides ajax), in which the wings are yellow, barred with black; -- called also ajax. -- Zebra wolf. See under Wolf.

Ze"bra*wood` (?), n. (a) A kind of cabinet wood having beautiful black, brown, and whitish stripes, the timber of a tropical American tree (Connarus Guianensis). (b) The wood of a small West Indian myrtaceous tree (Eugenia fragrans). (c) The wood of an East Indian tree of the genus Guettarda.

Ze"brine (?), a. (Zoöl.) Pertaining to, or resembling, the zebra.

Ze"bu (?), n. [&?;. zébu; of uncertain origin.] (Zoöl.) A bovine mammal (Ros Indicus) extensively domesticated in India, China, the East Indies, and East Africa. It usually has short horns, large pendulous ears, slender legs, a large dewlap, and a large, prominent hump over the shoulders; but these characters vary in different domestic breeds, which range in size from that of the common ox to that of a large mastiff.

Some of the varieties are used as beasts of burden, and some fore for riding, while others are raised for their milk and flesh. The Brahmin bull, regarded as sacred by the Hindoos, also belongs to this species. The male is called also Indian bull, Indian ox, Madras ox, and sacred bull.

Ze"bub (?), n. (Zoöl.) A large noxious fly of Abyssinia, which like the tsetse fly, is destructive to cattle.

Ze"chin (?; 277), n. See Sequin.

||Zech"stein` (?), n. [Gr., fr. zeche a mine + stein a stone.] (Geol.) The upper division of the Permian (Dyas) of Europe. The prevailing rock is a magnesian limestone.

Zed (?), n. [F., probably through It. zeta, fr. L. zeta. See Zeta.] The letter Z; -- called also zee, and formerly izzard. "Zed, thou unnecessary letter!" Shak.

Zed"o*a*ry (?), n. [F. zédoaire, LL. zedoaria; cf. It. zedoaria, zettovario, Pg. zedoaria, Sp. zedoaria, cedoaria; all fr. Ar. & Per. zedw&?;r.] (Med.) A medicinal substance obtained in the East Indies, having a fragrant smell, and a warm, bitter, aromatic taste. It is used in medicine as a stimulant.

It is the rhizome of different species of Curcuma, esp. C. zedoaria, and comes in short, firm pieces, externally of a wrinkled gray, ash-colored appearance, but within of a brownish red color. There are two kinds, round zedoary, and long zedoary.

||Zee"koe (?), n. [D., sea cow, lake cow.] (Zoöl.) A hippopotamus.

||Zeh"ner (?), n. [G.] An Austrian silver coin equal to ten kreutzers, or about five cents.

Ze"in (?), n. [Cf. F. zéïne. See Zea.] (Chem.) A nitrogenous substance of the nature of gluten, obtained from the seeds of Indian corn (Zea) as a soft, yellowish, amorphous substance. [Formerly written zeine.]

Zem`in*dar" (?), n. Same as Zamindar.

{ Zem"in*da*ry (?), ||Zem"in*da*ri (?) }, n. Same as Zamindary.

Zem"ni (?), n. (Zoöl.) The blind mole rat (Spalax typhlus), native of Eastern Europe and Asia. Its eyes and ears are rudimentary, and its fur is soft and brownish, more or less tinged with gray. It constructs extensive burrows.

||Ze*na"na (?), n. [Hind. zenna, zanna, fr. Per. zanna, fr. zan woman; akin to E. queen.] The part of a dwelling appropriated to women. [India]