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squash

(Science: zoology) An American animal allied to the weasel.

Origin: Cf. Musquash.

(Science: botany) A plant and its fruit of the genus Cucurbita, or gourd kind.

The species are much confused. The long-neck squash is called Cucurbita verrucosa, the barbary or china squash, C. Moschata, and the great winter squash, C. Maxima, but the distinctions are not clear. Squash beetle, a large black American hemipterous insect (Coreus, or Anasa, tristis) injurious to squash vines.

Origin: Massachusetts Indian asq, pl. Asquash, raw, green, immaturate, applied to fruit and vegetables which were used when green, or without cooking; askutasquash vine apple.