n. & v.
n. 1 a the usu. sweet and fleshy edible product of a plant or tree, containing seed. b (in sing.) these in quantity (eats fruit). 2 the seed of a plant or tree with its covering, e.g. an acorn, pea pod, cherry, etc. 3 (usu. in pl.) vegetables, grains, etc. used for food (fruits of the earth). 4 (usu. in pl.) the result of action etc., esp. as financial reward (fruits of his labours). 5 sl. esp. US a male homosexual. 6 Bibl. an offspring (the fruit of the womb; the fruit of his loins).
v.intr. & tr. bear or cause to bear fruit. fruit bar a piece of dried and pressed fruit. fruit-bat any large bat of the suborder Megachiroptera, feeding on fruit. fruit- (or fruiting-) body (pl. -ies) the spore-bearing part of a fungus. fruit cake 1 a cake containing dried fruit. 2 sl. an eccentric or mad person. fruit cocktail a finely-chopped usu. tinned fruit salad. fruit fly (pl. flies) any of various flies, esp. of the genus Drosophila, having larvae that feed on fruit. fruit machine Brit. a coin-operated gaming machine giving random combinations of symbols often representing fruit. fruit salad 1 various fruits cut up and served in syrup, juice, etc. 2 sl. a display of medals etc. fruit sugar fructose. fruit-tree a tree grown for its fruit. fruit-wood the wood of a fruit-tree, esp. when used in furniture. fruitage n. fruited adj. (also in comb.).
[ ME f. OF f. L fructus fruit, enjoyment f. frui enjoy ]