husk

plural husks

1. The dry, leafy or stringy exterior of certain vegetables or fruits, which must be removed before eating the meat inside.

   A coconut has a very thick husk.

2. figurativelyAny form of useless, dried up, and subsequently worthless exterior of something.

   His attorney was a dried-up husk of a man.

   1 more example

   Unlike dogs, cats have retractable claws which do not wear down when walking. Instead, cats pull the old husk of nail from their claws by raking them down some convenient piece of wood, to expose a new sharp claw underneath.

   1991, Morgan Kerr, Norman Kerr, An Introduction to Cat Care, page 63

3. The supporting frame of a run of millstones.
4. collectiverareA group of hares.

   Isn't it just like that in your average husk of hares.

   1994, Hornig, Dana, Seize the Day: For People Over 49, Stamford, Connecticut: Cove Press, page 304

   2 more examples

   The image is of a husk of hares surprised by some intruder and scattering in all directions to wooded safety.

   1998, Lucinda A. Stark Huffaker, Creative Dwelling, Atlanta, Georgia: Scholars Press, page 156

   He may 50 be as mad as a whole husk of hares in March, but he’s nothing to do with us, thank goodness

   2000, Hamilton Crane, Miss Seton by Moonlight

present singular third person husks · participle present husking · participle past husked · past husked

1. transitiveTo remove husks from.

1. uncountableAn infection in cattle caused by a species of Dictyocaulus or lungworm

   The symptoms of Husk are a constant cough, rapid loss of flesh, difficulty in breathing and, in the later stages, loss of appetite and diarrhœa.

   1876, John Walker, How to Farm with Profit Arable and Pasture Land: A Practical Manual on Modern Agriculture, London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co, page 78

present singular third person husks · participle present husking · participle past husked · past husked

1. intransitiveTo cough, clear one's throat.

   Back on the veranda he said to Lace gravely, "I do believe that poor child's in the family way." Lace, tracing the pattern of the matting with his boot, husked, and murmured, "Yes — I think so.

   1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter XI, in Capricornia, New York: D. Appleton-Century, published 1943, page 181

2. transitiveTo say huskily, to utter in a husky voice.

   The French captain did not immediately respond; he looked at his men with a miserable expression [...]; still he hesitated, drooped, and finally husked, "Je me rends," with a look still more wretched.

   2006, Naomi Novik, His Majesty's Dragon, Del Rey Books, page 5

plural Husks

1. A surname.