n. & v. n.
1. a swamp grass, Oryza sativa, cultivated in marshes, esp. in Asia.
2 the grains of this, used as cereal food.
--v.tr. US sieve (cooked potatoes etc.) into thin strings.
Phrases and idioms:
rice-bowl an area producing much rice. rice-paper edible paper made from the pith of an oriental tree and used for painting and in cookery.
Derivatives:
ricer n.
Etymology: ME rys f. OF ris f. It. riso, ult. f. Gk oruza, of oriental orig.