Chickweed; a genus of the trigynia order, belonging to the pentandra clas of plants. Of this genus a great number of species are enumerated by some botanical writers; but none of them possess any remarkable properties, except the media, or common chickweed, with white blossoms, which is so well known as to need no particular description.—This species affords a notable instance of what is called the sleep of plants: for, every night, the leaves approach in pairs, so as to include within their upper surfaces the tender rudiments of the new shoots; and the uppermost pair but one at the end of the stalk are furnished with longer leaf-blades than the others; so that they can close upon the terminating pair, and protect the end of the branch. The young shoots and leaves, when boiled, can hardly be distinguished from spring spinach, and are equally wholesome.—Swine are extremely fond of chickweed; cows and horses eat it; sheep are indifferent to it; and goats refuse it.

ALSIAT, in the Mahometan theology, denotes a bridge laid over the middle of hell, the passage or path whereof is sharper than the edge of a sword; over which every body must pass at the day of judgement, when the wicked will tumble headlong into hell, whereas the good will fly over it like the wind.