From Middle English oystre, from Old English ostre, reinforced or superseded by Anglo-Norman oistre, which is from Old French oistre, uistre (compare modern French huître); both lines (Old English and Old French) from Latin ostrea, from Ancient Greek ὄστρεον (óstreon). Doublet of ostro (“a purple dye”).
Meanings
Of a pale beige colour tinted with grey or pink, like that of an oyster.
From Middle English oystre, from Old English ostre, reinforced or superseded by Anglo-Norman oistre, which is from Old French oistre, uistre (compare modern French huître); both lines (Old English and Old French) from Latin ostrea, from Ancient Greek ὄστρεον (óstreon). Doublet of ostro (“a purple dye”).
Meanings
Any of certain marine bivalve mollusks, especially those of the family Ostreidae (the true oysters), usually found adhering to rocks or other fixed objects in shallow water along the seacoasts, or in brackish water in the mouth of rivers.
Piſt. Why then the world's mine Oyſter, which I, with ſword will open. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 45, lines 2–5:
He was a bold man that first ate an oyster. 1731 (date written), Simon Wagstaff [pseudonym; Jonathan Swift], “Dialogue II”, in A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, […], London: […] B[enjamin] Motte […], published 1738, →OCLC, page 120:
The delicate oyster-shaped morsel of dark meat contained in a small cavity of the bone on each side of the lower part of the back of a fowl.
Cut remaining skin on back. Remove the oyster (choice dark meat in spoon-shaped bone on back) with the leg. 1971, United States Bureau of Naval Personnel, “Food preparation”, in Steward 3 & 2, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 148:
Any of the fungi in the genera Pleurotus, Hohenbuehelia, or other related genera.
A pale beige color tinted with grey or pink, like that of an oyster.
(colloquial, qualifier:by analogy) A person who keeps secrets.
I will not be a human oyster. No, I will lay my cards on the table, which is assuredly a thing that oysters do not do. 1928, Agatha Christie, The Mystery of the Blue Train:
Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave I. Marley’s Ghost.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 3:
(figuratively) Something at one's disposal.
He asked a major Chicago retailer with a large store in the heart of the city about the socioeconomic character of his customers. The man replied proudly that the entire range of economic classes was his oyster. 1959, Vance Packard, The Status Seekers, Pocket Books, published 1971, →ISBN, page 116:
(UK, slang) A shoplifter.
(UK, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, slang) Ellipsis of Oyster card.
yi אויסטער (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · nrf hitre (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ja 牡蠣 (food from mollusc) · grc γλυκομαρίς (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fi osteri (food from mollusc) · km ខ្យងស្មិត (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · es ostra (colour) · az استریدیه (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · gl ostra (food from mollusc) · wa plate mosse (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · hi शुक्ति (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · it ostrica (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fa گوشماهی (food from mollusc) · hi सीप (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · grc τῆθος (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · vo hüit (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · tyz cắp cuồng (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mk о́стрига (food from mollusc) · lv austere (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · el στρείδι (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mk острига (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · tyz cắp pai (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ru за́мкнутый челове́к (person who keeps secrets) · hy ոստրե (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · km ងាវសមុទ្រ (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · vi sò (food from mollusc) · ang ostre (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · de Auster (food from mollusc) · fa اویستر (food from mollusc) · bg затворен човек (person who keeps secrets) · kqr kubili (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mi tio (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · br istr (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · si බෙල්ලා (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · eo ostro (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ky устрица (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mk о́стриги (food from mollusc) · th มุก (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ar مَحَار (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · es ostra (food from mollusc) · ht zwit (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · arz إسترديا (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · nl oester (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fr huître (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · lb Auster (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fr huître (food from mollusc) · cmn 牡蠣 /牡蛎 (food from mollusc) · ja 牡蠣 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · bn ঝিনুক (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mn хясаа (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mg masajy (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · xpq apon (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ru у́стрица (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · cmn 海蠣子 /海蛎子 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · es tumba (person who keeps secrets) · id tiram (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · is ostra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · bg стрида (food from mollusc) · cy wystrys (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · bdr tigom (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · la ostrea (food from mollusc) · cy llymarch (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · es ostia (disused) (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fy oester (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · lo ຫອຽນາງລົມ (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · tk ustrisa (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · es ostión (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fa گوشماهی (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · vi hàu (food from mollusc) · sv ostron (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · he צִדפָּה (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ast ostra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · cmn 牡蠣 /牡蛎 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · zu ukhwathu class 11/10 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · my ကမာ (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mic mntmu (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · et auster (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · bho सीप (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · az stridiya (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fi osteri (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ca ostra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ro stridie (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sv ostron (food from mollusc) · tg гӯшмоҳӣ (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mic tmtmu (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fi muuri (person who keeps secrets) · mel tirem (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ja 真珠貝 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · nb østers (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sh oštriga (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · unm sisawin (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · uz ustritsa (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ja カキ (food from mollusc) · pon pelekenna (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ota استردیه (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · cmn 蠔子 /蚝子 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · tr istiridye (food from mollusc) · kk устрица (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · kw estren (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · tl talaba (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fi osterinharmaa (colour) · oc ustra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ro stridie (food from mollusc) · mnb fonoti (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · da østers (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · afb محار (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · lo ຫອຍນາງລົມ (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · wa plate mosse (food from mollusc) · cmn 蠔 /蚝 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ota استریدیه (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · el στρείδι (food from mollusc) · lou zwit (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · abe als (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · gd eisir (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · es ostra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · grc ὄστρεον (food from mollusc) · ml മുത്തുച്ചിപ്പി (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sh каменица (food from mollusc) · pt marisco (food from mollusc) · hsb wustrica (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fo ostra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fr sot-l’y-laisse (meat from poultry) · af oester (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · pl ostryga (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · grc ὄστρεον (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · yue 蠔 /蚝 (food from mollusc) · yue 蠔 /蚝 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ko 굴 (food from mollusc) · az istiridyə (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sh kamenica (food from mollusc) · ko 굴 (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ta சிப்பி (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · kk устрица (food from mollusc) · co ostrica (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ru у́стрица (food from mollusc) · uk у́стриця (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · fr huitre (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · be ву́стрыца (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · lt austrė (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sh оштрига (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · de Auster (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · dsb wustrica (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sq stridhe (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · bg стри́да (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · hu osztriga (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · nv chʼosh yoołgai bitsʼaʼígíí (food from mollusc) · mfe zwit (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · de Pfaffenschnittchen (meat from poultry) · ga oisre (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · gv ooastyr (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · th หอยนางรม (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · es ostrón (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ja カキ (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ar مَحَار (food from mollusc) · sh каменица (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · pt ostra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ka ხამანწკა (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · pon lingkiri (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · la ostrea (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · wyi u.yoke (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · gd oisir (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · frr Skruk (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · km ងាវ (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · yo ìsán (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · jv kerang (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · te గుల్ల (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · acw مَحَار (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sh kamenica (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sk ustrica (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · de Pfaffenstückchen (meat from poultry) · tr istiridye (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · vi hàu (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · eu ostra (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · haw kio (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · acw مَحَار (food from mollusc) · it ostrica (food from mollusc) · pl ostryga (food from mollusc) · nn østers (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ur شکتی (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · ms tiram (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · sl ostriga (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · mtf kabaŋk (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · cs ústřice (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · co ostrice (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel) · io ostro (mollusk — see also clam, mollusc, mussel)
From Middle English oystre, from Old English ostre, reinforced or superseded by Anglo-Norman oistre, which is from Old French oistre, uistre (compare modern French huître); both lines (Old English and Old French) from Latin ostrea, from Ancient Greek ὄστρεον (óstreon). Doublet of ostro (“a purple dye”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To fish for oysters.
Most Fishneck watermen oystered in winter, using the same small skiffs from which they potted crabs in summer. Sometimes two men oystered from the same boat or took along a son or younger brother to cull oysters (separate those of legal size from undersized ones and shell). 1986, Carolyn Ellis, Fisher Folk: Two Communities on Chesapeake Bay, University Press of Kentucky, →ISBN, page 77: