| 释义 |
wych elm, witch elm|wɪtʃ ɛlm|
Forms: α. 7 weech, 7–8 wich, 7–9 witch elm. β. 8– wych elm. (Also hyphened.)
[f. witch n.3 + elm. Cf. the slightly earlier witchen elm.]
A species of elm, Ulmus montana, having broader leaves and more spreading branches than the Common elm; the witch hazel or Scots elm; also, the wood of this.
α1626Bacon Sylva §475 A Cions of a Weech-Elme, grafted vpon the Stocke of an Ordinary Elme, will put forth Leaues, almost as broad as the Brimme of ones Hat. 1633T. Johnson Gerarde's Herbal 1482 Vlmus folio glabro, Witch Elme, or smooth leaued Elme. a1691Aubrey Nat. Hist. Wilts. (1847) 54 Wich-hazells, as we call them in Wilts (in some counties wich-elmes). 1715Addison Drummer ii. i, There's a good deal of Virtue in that [Conjurer's] Wand—I fancy 'tis made out of Witch-Elm. 1733W. Ellis Chiltern & Vale Farm. 115, I here write of..the common Elm, and the witch Elm. 1810Scott Lady of L. I. Introd. 2 The witch-elm that shades Saint Fillan's spring. 1850Tennyson In Mem. lxxxvii, Witch-elms that counterchange the floor Of this flat lawn with dusk and bright.
β1769Barrington in Phil. Trans. LIX. 34 The Wych (or broad-leaved) elm. 1778Lightfoot Flora Scot. I. 152 The variety with a smooth bark and leaf, commonly called the Wych-Elm. 1845Faber Rosary, etc. 86 Many a bay, By..a drooping wychelm fanned. 1866Treas. Bot. 1189 Forked branches of Wych Elm,..were used as divining-rods. 1875Encycl. Brit. II. 317 The Wych elm is a hardy tree, of rapid growth.
b. attrib., as wych-elm faggot, wych elm foliage, wych elm tree.
1763Museum Rust. I. 28 To fill up the drains with witch-elm faggots. 1862Lytton Str. Story II. 11 In this yard there stood an old wych-elm tree. 1897Daily News 12 Nov. 8/3 Bunches of wych-elm foliage. |