The external covering or envelope of certain fruits or seeds; glume; hull; rind; in the United States, especially applied to the covering of the ears of maize. [1913 Webster]
The supporting frame of a run of millstones. [1913 Webster]

Husks of the prodigal son (Bot.), the pods of the carob tree. See Carob.

husk, v. t.

To strip off the external covering or envelope of; as, to husk Indian corn. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

husk, n. & v.
--n.
1 the dry outer covering of some fruits or seeds, esp. of a nut or US maize.
2 the worthless outside part of a thing.
--v.tr. remove a husk or husks from.

Etymology

ME, prob. f. LG huske sheath, dimin. of hus HOUSE

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THESAURUS

husk

afterglow, afterimage, balance, bark, boll, bones, bran, burr, butt, butt end, candle ends, capsule, case, chaff, cod, corn shuck, cornhusk, culm, deadwood, debris, detritus, dishwater, draff, dregs, dust, end, fag end, filings, follicle, fossil, garbage, gash, hogwash, holdover, hull, husks, jacket, leavings, lees, leftovers, legume, legumen, odds and ends, offal, offscourings, orts, palea, parings, pease cod, peel, pericarp, pod, potsherds, rags, raspings, refuse, relics, remainder, remains, remnant, residue, residuum, rest, rind, roach, rubbish, ruins, rump, sawdust, scourings, scrap iron, scraps, scum, seed pod, seed vessel, seedbox, seedcase, shadow, shards, shavings, shell, shuck, silique, skin, slack, slag, slop, slops, slough, straw, stubble, stump, survival, sweepings, swill, tares, trace, vestige, wastage, waste, waste matter, wastepaper, weeds

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ROGET THESAURUS

husk

Covering

N covering, cover, baldachin, baldachino, baldaquin, canopy, tilt, awning, tent, marquee, tente d'abri, umbrella, parasol, sunshade, veil (shade), shield, roof, ceiling, thatch, tile, pantile, pentile, tiling, slates, slating, leads, barrack, plafond, planchment, tiling, shed, top, lid, covercle, door, operculum, bulkhead, bandage, plaster, lint, wrapping, dossil, finger stall, coverlet, counterpane, sheet, quilt, tarpaulin, blanket, rug, drugget, housing, antimacassar, eiderdown, numdah, pillowcase, pillowslip, linoleum, saddle cloth, blanket cloth, tidy, tilpah, apishamore, integument, tegument, skin, pellicle, fleece, fell, fur, leather, shagreen, hide, pelt, peltry, cordwain, derm, robe, buffalo robe, cuticle, scarfskin, epidermis, clothing, mask, peel, crust, bark, rind, cortex, husk, shell, coat, eggshell, glume, capsule, sheath, sheathing, pod, cod, casing, case, theca, elytron, elytrum, involucrum, wrapping, wrapper, envelope, vesicle, corn husk, corn shuck, dermatology, conchology, testaceology, inunction, incrustation, superimposition, superposition, obduction, scale, veneer, facing, overlay, plate, silver plate, gold plate, copper plate, engobe, ormolu, Sheffield plate, pavement, coating, paint, varnish, plating, barrel plating, anointing, enamel, epitaxial deposition, vapor deposition, ground, whitewash, plaster, spackel, stucco, compo, cerement, ointment, covering, superimposed, overlaid, plated, cutaneous, dermal, cortical, cuticular, tegumentary, skinny, scaly, squamous, covered, imbricated, loricated, armor plated, ironclad, under cover, cowled, cucullate, dermatoid, encuirassed, hooded, squamiferous, tectiform, vaginate.

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