See Also: Rhubarb(medicine)
rhubarb(1)(dictionary)
rhubarb(2)(dictionary)
rhubarb(encyclopedia)
rhubarb(dictionary)
Rhubarb - Baseball(gambling)
Rhubarb Fool(recipes)
Rhubarb Vodka(recipes)
Rhubarb sponge pud(recipes)
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie(recipes)

rhubarb(1) (iou)



rhubarb noun & adjective. ['ru:b¨»:b] LME.
[Old French rubarbe, reubarbe (mod. rhubarbe) from Proto-Romance shortening of medieval Latin r(h)eubarbarum alt. (by assoc. with RHEUM noun2) of RHABARBARUM.]
A. noun.
A plant of the genus Rheum, of the knotgrass family, having very large leaves. Also (with specifying word), any of several similar plants. LME.
monk's rhubarb: see MONK noun1. PRICKLY rhubarb.
The purgative and astringent rootstock of any of several plants of the genus Rheum, esp. R. officinale of W. China and Tibet, and R. palmatum of NE Asia. Also rhubarb root. LME.
The long, fleshy, usu. pale red, acid leaf-stalks of a garden rheum, Rheum hybridum (prob. a hybrid derivative of the rhapontic, R. rhaponticum), used when cooked as food; the plant producing these. L18.
A murmurous background noise, an indistinct conversation; esp. the repetition of the word 'rhubarb' by actors to represent an indistinct conversation or the noise of a crowd. colloq. M20.
b. A low-level flight for opportune strafing. Military slang. M20.
c. A heated dispute, a row. US slang. M20.
d. Nonsense, worthless stuff. slang. M20.
Number One And what is all this rhubarb about crabs being sexy?
b. attrib. or as adjective.
Bitter, tart. L16.
Made from or containing rhubarb. L17.
L. Block I seemed to be developing a definite taste for the rhubarb jam.
Of the colour of rhubarb; yellowish-brown (as of rhubarb root) or pale red (as of garden rhubarb). E19.
rhubarby adjective resembling (that of) rhubarb; esp. tasting like rhubarb: M19.