Cress (krĕs), n.; pl.Cresses (krĕs″ĕz). [OE. ces, cresse, kers, kerse, AS. cresse, cerse; akin to D. kers, G. kresse, Dan. karse, Sw. krasse, and possibly also to OHG. chresan to creep.] (Bot.) A plant of various species, chiefly cruciferous. The leaves have a moderately pungent taste, and are used as a salad and antiscorbutic.
☞ The garden cress, called also peppergrass, is the Lepidium sativum; the water cress is the Nasturtium officinale. Various other plants are sometimes called cresses.
To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread.
Goldsmith.
Bitter cress. See under Bitter. — Not worth a cress, or“not worth a kers.” a common old proverb, now turned into the meaningless “not worth a curse.” Skeat.