poppy

plural poppies

1. countableuncountableAny plant of the genus Papaver or the family Papaveraceae, with crumpled, often red, petals and a milky juice having narcotic properties; especially a common poppy or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) which has orange-red flowers; the flower of such a plant.

   In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row, / That mark our place; […] / If ye break faith with us who die / We shall not sleep, though poppies grow / In Flanders fields.

   1915 May 3 (date composed), John McCrae, “In Flanders Fields”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, London: Published at the office, 85, Fleet Street, published 8 December 1915, →OCLC; republished in In Flanders Fields and Other Poems, New York, N.Y.; London: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons […], 1919, →OCLC, page 3

   1 more example

   We cherish, too, the poppy red / That grows on fields where valor led; / It seems to signal to the skies / That blood of heroes never dies, / […] / And now the torch and poppy red / We wear in honor of our dead. / Fear not that ye have died for naught; / We've learned the lesson that ye taught / In Flanders fields.

   1918 November 9, Moina Michael, We Shall Keep the Faith; quoted in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the First Session of the Sixty-ninth Congress of the United States of America (United States House of Representatives), volume LXVII, part 4, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 10 February 1926, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3717, column 2

2. countableuncountableA bright red colour tinted with orange, like that of the common poppy flower.
3. AustraliaCanadaUKcountableuncountableA simple artificial poppy flower worn in a buttonhole or displayed in other contexts to remember those who died in the two World Wars and other armed conflicts, especially around Remembrance Day/Remembrance Sunday.

   Troops from the garrison town formed a guard of honour for both sets of players, who emerged for the national anthem with poppies proudly stitched into their tracksuit jackets.

   2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England under 21 5 Iceland under 21 0: Match report”, in Tony Gallagher, editor, The Daily Telegraph, London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 11 Nov 2011

1. not comparableOf a bright red colour tinted with orange, like that of the common poppy flower (Papaver rhoeas).

comparative poppier · comparative more poppy · superlative poppiest · superlative most poppy

1. informalHaving a popping or bursting sound.
2. informalOf a beverage: resembling soda pop; effervescent, fizzy.
3. informalOf eyes: protruding, sticking out.

   Synonyms: bulging

comparative poppier · comparative more poppy · superlative poppiest · superlative most poppy

1. datedinformalPopular.
2. informalentertainmentTypical of, or in the style of, pop music.

   I thought Sparks were great; they were very poppy for Island Records. They were considered an oddity but you have to remember that at the time Roxy Music, now everyone's seminal band, were seen as very poppy.

   2010, Daryl Easlea, “Island Life”, in Talent is an Asset: The Story of Sparks, London; New York, N.Y.: Omnibus Press, →ISBN

plural poppies · alternative poppie

1. endearinginformalOne's father or grandfather, or a male authority figure having similar standing.

   Synonyms: pappy, pop, poppa, pops, pappy, pop-pop

1. UKA female given name from English, a flower name used since the end of the 19th century.

   1 more example

   "It is a very pretty name, Mma. I should like to be called Poppy." The compliment drew a smile. "I used to be very embarrassed about it," said Poppy. "I used to try to hide my name from people. I thought it was a very silly name." Mma Ramotswe shook her head. There was nothing embarrassing about the name Poppy, but there was no telling what names people would find embarrassing.

   2006, Alexander McCall Smith, Blue Shoes and Happiness, →ISBN

1. alternativeterm of addressAlternative form of poppy (“father, grandfather, or other male authority figure of a similar standing”).

   My grandfather, whom we all call "Poppy", loves children and enjoys imparting his knowledge of aspects to them. ... Cell phones were not invented at the time, however, so I could not contact Poppy to help me end the hiccups.

   2008 April 29, Steven Keslowitz, From Poland to Brooklyn, page 120

2. informalFormer U.S. president George H. W. Bush