peat
Look at other dictionaries:
Peat — is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. Peat forms in wetlands or peatlands , variously called bogs , moors , muskegs , pocosins , mires , and peat swamp forests . By volume there is about 4 trillion m³ of peat in the world… … Wikipedia
Peat — Peat, n. [Prob. for beat, prop., material used to make the fire burn better, fr. AS. b?tan to better, mend (a fire), b?t advantage. See {Better}, {Boot} advantage.] A substance of vegetable origin, consisting of roots and fibers, moss, etc., in… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
peat — peat; peat·ery; peat·man; re·peat·abil·i·ty; re·peat·able; re·peat·er; re·peat; re·peat·ed·ly; … English syllables
Peat — Peat consists of partially decomposed plant debris. It is considered an early stage in the development of coal. Peat is distinguished from lignite by the presence of free cellulose and a high moisture content (exceeding 70 percent). The heat… … Energy terms
peat|y — «PEE tee», adjective, peat|i|er, peat|i|est. of, like, or abounding in peat: »A thin seam of peaty matter…along the bottom of a bed of clay (James Croll) … Useful english dictionary
Peat — Peat, n. [Cf. {Pet} a fondling.] A small person; a pet; sometimes used contemptuously. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
peat|er|y — «PEE tuhr ee», noun, plural er|ies. a place from which peat is dug … Useful english dictionary
peat — [pi:t] n [Date: 1300 1400; : Medieval Latin; Origin: peta, probably from a Celtic language] [U] a black substance formed from decaying plants under the surface of the ground in some areas, which can be burned as a ↑fuel, or mixed with soil to… … Dictionary of contemporary English
peat — [ pit ] noun uncount a type of soil consisting of decaying plants that can also be used as fuel … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
peat — c.1200, in Scottish L., probably from O.Celt. root *pett (Cf. Cornish peyth, Welsh peth quantity, part, thing, O.Ir. pet, Breton pez piece ). The earliest sense is not of the turf but of the cut piece of it … Etymology dictionary
peat — ► NOUN ▪ partly decomposed vegetable matter forming a deposit on acidic, boggy ground, dried for use in gardening and as fuel. DERIVATIVES peaty adjective. ORIGIN Anglo Latin peta … English terms dictionary
