Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GAR'NET, n. [It. granato; Fr. grenat; Sp. granate; L. granatus, from granum, or granatum, the pomegranate.]

1. A mineral usually occurring in crystals more or less regular. The crystals have numerous sides, from twelve to sixty or even eighty-four. Its prevailing color is red of various shades, but often brown, and sometimes green, yellow or black. It sometimes resembles the hyacinth, the leucite, and the idocrase. Of this gem there are several varieties; as, the precious or oriental, the pyrope, the topazolite, the succinite, the common garnet, the melanite, the pyrenaite, the grossular, the allochroite, the aplome, and the colophonite. Haüy. Cleaveland.
2. In ships, a sort of tackle fixed to the main stay, and used to hoist in and out the cargo.