oak

plural oaks · alternative England dialectal obsolete possibly woak · alternative England dialectal obsolete possibly yack · alternative obsolete oke

1. countableA deciduous tree with distinctive deeply lobed leaves, acorns, and notably strong wood, typically of England and northeastern North America, included in genus Quercus.

   Instead there were the white of aspens, streaks of branch and slender trunk glistening from the green of leaves, and the darker green of oaks, and through the middle of this forest, from wall to wall, ran a winding line of brilliant green which marked the course of cottonwoods and willows.

   1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter 8, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC

   1 more example

   It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by.

   1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: oak tree

   1. uncountableThe wood of the oak.

      Synonyms: oak tree, oakwood

   2. countableuncountableA rich brown color, like that of oak wood.

      Synonyms: oak tree

   3. countableuncountablebeveragesThe flavor of oak.

      Synonyms: oak tree

2. countableuncountableAny member of species of the genus Quercus, in family Fagaceae.
3. Any member of other species of trees resembling typical oaks of genus Quercus in some ways.
   1. countableuncountableshe-oaks in Allocasuarina and Casuarina, of family Casuarinaceae
   2. countableuncountablewhite oaks Lagunaria, in family Malvaceae
   3. countableuncountablesilky oaks, in family Proteaceae
   4. countableuncountablepoison oak Toxicodendron, in family Anacardiaceae
   5. countableuncountabletanbark oaks or stone oaks, of species of genera Lithocarpus and Notholithocarpus in family Fagaceae.
4. countableuncountableThe outer (lockable) door of a set of rooms in a college or similar institution. (Often in the phrase sport one's oak.)

   It was hardly the thing for a master to sport his oak where another member of the staff was concerned.

   1930, Frank Richards, The Magnet: Prout's Lovely Black Eye

   2 more examples

   [E]very set of rooms has two doors, and I soon learned that the outer door, which is thick and solid, is called the oak, and to shut it is termed, to sport.

   1833, Thomas Jefferson Hogg, chapter 2, in Shelley at Oxford, London: Methuen

   The vesper bell had rung its parting note; the domini were mostly caged in comfortable quarters, discussing the merits of old port; and the merry student had closed his oak, to consecrate the night to friendship, sack, and claret.

   The New Sporting Magazine (volume 15, page 23)

   Synonyms: sporting door

alternative obsolete oke

1. not comparableHaving a rich brown color, like that of oak wood.
2. not comparableMade of oak wood or timber.

   an oak table, oak beam, etc.

   Synonyms: oaken

present singular third person oaks · participle present oaking · participle past oaked · past oaked · alternative obsolete oke

1. transitivebeveragesTo expose to oak in order for the oak to impart its flavors.

1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of of a kind.

   In poker, 3 OAK beats two pair.