clover, n.
a. The common name of the species of Trefoil ( Trifolium, family Leguminosæ), esp. T. repens and T. pratense, both largely cultivated for fodder.
c1000—1846(Hide quotations)
b. With qualifying words, indicating the different species: esp. clustered clover n. Trifolium glomeratum. red clover n. (or meadow clover) ( broad clover clover-grass n.), Trifolium pratense, and white clover n. (or Dutch clover) T. repens. Also alsike clover, T. hybridum; cow clover, T. medium and T. pratense; crimson clover or carnation clover, T. incarnatum; hare's-foot clover, Trifolium arvense; hop clover, T. procumbens; strawberry clover, T. fragiferum; trefoil clover or zig-zag clover, T. medium; yellow clover, T. procumbens and T. minus.
a800—1960(Hide quotations)
†c. humorously as a term of endearment.
?a1513—?a1513(Hide quotations)
2. Applied in different localities, with qualifying word prefixed, to many plants of the same order, or with similar characters; as bird's-foot clover, cat's clover, Lotus corniculatus; Calvary clover, Medicago Echinus; heart clover, spotted clover, Medicago maculata; yellow clover, Medicago lupulina; horned clover, snail clover, species of Medicago; Bokhara clover, Melilotus vulgaris; garden clover, Melilotus cærulea; hart's clover, king's clover, plaister clover, Melilotus officinalis; marsh clover, Menyanthes trifoliata; cuckoo's clover, gowk's clover, lady's clover, sour clover, Oxalis acetosella; thousand-leaved clover, Achillea Millefolium; Soola clover or Maltese clover, Hedysarum coronarium. Also in U.S.: bush clover, Lespedeza; prairie clover, Petalostemon; sweet clover, Melilotus.
1548—1785(Hide quotations)
3. Phrase. to live (or be) in clover : ‘to live luxuriously; clover being extremely delicious and fattening to cattle’ (Johnson).
1710—1856(Hide quotations)
Compounds
clover-bloom n.
1842—1842(Hide quotations)
clover-blossom n.
1845—1845(Hide quotations)
clover-blow n.
1867—1867(Hide quotations)
clover-field n.
1831—1870(Hide quotations)
clover-flower n.
1612—1612(Hide quotations)
clover-hay n.
1748—1901(Hide quotations)
clover-head n.
1847—1847(Hide quotations)
clover-hill n.
1830—1830(Hide quotations)
clover-seed n.
Clover Club n. the name of a club in Philadelphia, used to designate a cocktail made from gin, white of egg, lemon or lime juice, and grenadine.
1925—1931(Hide quotations)
clover-dodder n. Cuscuta Trifolii.
clover-eater n. U.S. (see quot.)
1869—1869(Hide quotations)
clover-fern n. Australian nardoo.
1878—1878(Hide quotations)
clover-hay worm n. the larva of a small moth, Asopia costalis, very destructive to clover-hay in North America.
clover honey n. that gathered from clover flowers.
clover-huller n. a machine for separating clover-seed from the hulls.
1841—1853(Hide quotations)
clover-leaf n. (a) a leaf of clover; (b) a system of intersecting roads from different levels, in form resembling the leaf of clover; frequently attributive.
1933—1957(Hide quotations)
clover-leaf sight n. (see quot.).
a1884—a1884(Hide quotations)
clover-ley n. (also clover-lay) (see quots.).
1796—1888(Hide quotations)
clover-sheller n. = clover-huller n. above.
1856—1856(Hide quotations)
clover-sick adj. (of land) that has been too continuously kept under clover and that will no longer grow or support it.
1851—1872(Hide quotations)
clover-sickness n.
1894—1933(Hide quotations)
clover summer n. figurative an exceptional time.
1866—1866(Hide quotations)
clover tea n. (see quot.)
1799—1799(Hide quotations)
clover-thrasher n. = clover-huller n. above.
clover-tree n. a Tasmanian tree, Goodenia latifolia.
1898—1898(Hide quotations)
clover-weevil n. a small weevil, Apion apricans, which feeds on the seeds of clover.