morning-glory

A morning-glory vine climbs the garden fence with purple flowers.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A climbing plant with showy flowers: "morning-glory" refers to any plant of the genus Ipomoea (family Convolvulaceae), characterized by twining stems and trumpet-shaped flowers that typically open in the morning and close by the afternoon.
   • A common name for the plant: In everyday usage, "morning-glory" denotes the fast-growing vine often cultivated for its decorative, colorful blooms.
   • A specific flower: The term can also refer to the individual flower of this plant, known for its vibrant blue, purple, pink, or white colors.

Usage Examples

• (A climbing vine used for decoration.)
• (The flower's characteristic behavior.)
• (The plant's growth habit in certain environments.)

Advanced Usage

• "morning-glory" as a metaphor: The term is sometimes used to describe something that is beautiful but short-lived or fleeting, like the flower's brief blooming period.

  • Their romance was a morning-glory — intense but gone by noon. (A relationship that faded quickly.)

• "morning-glory" in horticulture: The plant is prized for its rapid growth and ability to cover trellises or walls, but it requires careful management to prevent overgrowth.

  • Gardeners often train morning-glory vines on arches for a dramatic seasonal display. (Using the plant for ornamental purposes.)

Variants and Related Words

• Morning-glory family (n): the plant family Convolvulaceae, which includes morning-glory and related species like sweet potato.
  • The morning-glory family includes both ornamental vines and edible crops. (A botanical classification.)
• Morning-glory seed (n): the small, hard seeds of the plant, sometimes used in traditional medicine or as a hallucinogen (due to their ergoline alkaloid content).
  • Morning-glory seeds require scarification before planting to improve germination. (Preparing seeds for growth.)

Synonyms

• Bindweed: a common name for some species of or that are weedy and climb aggressively.
• Convolvulus: the scientific genus name for related plants, often used interchangeably in gardening contexts.
• Ipomoea: the genus name for true morning-glories.

Phrasal Verbs

• • Grow morning-glory: to cultivate the plant.

    • They decided to grow morning-glory up the side of their porch. (To plant and tend the vine.)
  • Train morning-glory: to guide the vine along a support.

    • He trained the morning-glory to wrap around the trellis. (To direct its growth.)

Related Idioms

• "Like a morning-glory": used to describe something that opens up or becomes active in the morning but closes or fades by the end of the day.
  • His enthusiasm is like a morning-glory — strong at the start of the project but gone by the afternoon. (A temporary burst of energy.)
• "Morning-glory effect": a term in psychology or pharmacology referring to a brief, intense effect that diminishes rapidly, akin to the flower's blooming pattern.
  • The drug had a morning-glory effect, providing a short high followed by a quick crash. (A fleeting impact.)