plant: Meaning and Definition of

plant

1. any member of the kingdom Plantae, comprising multicellular organisms that typically produce their own food from inorganic matter by the process of photosynthesis and that have more or less rigid cell walls containing cellulose, including vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, and hornworts: some classification schemes may include fungi, algae, bacteria, blue-green algae, and certain single-celled eukaryotes that have plantlike qualities, as rigid cell walls or photosynthesis.
2. an herb or other small vegetable growth, in contrast with a tree or a shrub.
3. a seedling or a growing slip, esp. one ready for transplanting.
4. the equipment, including the fixtures, machinery, tools, etc., and often the buildings, necessary to carry on any industrial business: a manufacturing plant.
5. the complete equipment or apparatus for a particular mechanical process or operation: the heating plant for a home.
6. the buildings, equipment, etc., of an institution: the sprawling plant of the university.
7. something intended to trap, decoy, or lure, as criminals.
8. a scheme to trap, trick, swindle, or defraud.
9. a person, placed in an audience, whose rehearsed or prepared reactions, comments, etc., appear spontaneous to the rest of the audience.
10. a person placed secretly in a group or organization, as by a foreign government, to obtain internal or secret information, stir up discontent, etc.
11. a line of dialogue, or a character, action, etc., introducing an idea or theme that will be further developed at a later point in the play: Afterward we remembered the suicide plant in the second act.

1. to put or set in the ground for growth, as seeds, young trees, etc.
2. to furnish or stock (land) with plants: to plant a section with corn.
3. to establish or implant (ideas, principles, doctrines, etc.): to plant a love for learning in growing children.
4. to introduce (a breed of animals) into a country.
5. to deposit (young fish, or spawn) in a river, lake, etc.
6. to bed (oysters).
7. to insert or set firmly in or on the ground or some other body or surface: to plant posts along a road.
8. to insert or place (an idea, person, or thing) in a play.
9. to place; put.
10. to place with great force, firmness, or determination: He planted himself in the doorway as if daring us to try to enter. He planted a big kiss on his son's cheek.
11. to station; post: to plant a police officer on every corner.
12. to locate; situate: Branch stores are planted all over.
13. to establish (a colony, city, etc.); found.
14. to settle (persons), as in a colony.
15. to say or place (something) in order to obtain a desired result, esp. one that will seem spontaneous: The police planted the story in the newspaper in order to trap the thief.
16. to nail, glue, or otherwise attach (a molding or the like) to a surface.
17. to place (a person) secretly in a group to function as a spy or to promote discord.
18. to hide or conceal, as stolen goods.