| 释义 |
sainfoin|ˈseɪnfɔɪn|
Forms: 7 S. Foyne, Saint-, St. Foine, sainct-foin, santfine, -foyne, 7–8 St. Foyne, 8 St. Foin, sainfoine, 6– saintfoin, 7– sanfoin, 8– sainfoin.
[a. F. sainfoin, also † saintfoin (16th c.), app. f. sain health-giving, wholesome + foin hay.
The identification of the first syllable with saint holy, was common in Fr. in the 16th c., and in Eng. in the 17th c. Cf. holy hay (see holy 5 b), G. heiligheu, and Pg. sanfeno.]
A low-growing perennial herb, Onobrychis sativa (formerly Hedysarum Onobrychis), much grown as a forage plant. Also, locally, lucerne (Medicago sativa).
1626A. Speed Adam out of E. xiv. (1659) 108 A Gentle⁓man..hath this yeer about thirty acres of S. Foyne. 1653W. Blithe Eng. Improv. Impr. xxvii. 187 St. Foyne is a French Grass much sowed there, upon their barren, dry, hasky Lands, and sometimes in our Gardens hath a kind of it been much sowed, called the French Honysuckel. 1669Worlidge Syst. Agric. 27 This St. Foyne, or Holy-hay, hath in several places of England, obtained the preferrence above Clover-grass, for that it..is so great an improvement on our barren Lands. 1726Dict. Husb. II. s.v., Saintfoin, or Holy-Hay, a sort of Grass otherwise call'd Medick-Fodder, Spanish Trefoil, and Snail or Horned Clover-grass. 1792A. Young Trav. France I. 152 Large quantities of sainfoin, which he used for fattening oxen. 1844H. Stephens Bk. Farm II. 554 It is possible to cultivate both lucern and saintfoin as a one or more years' crop of grass in rotation with corn crops instead of red clover. 1857Kingsley Two Y. Ago III. 133 Pink saintfoin. 1886C. Scott Sheep-farming 50 For early spring feed and summer fattening,..sanfoin, mustard, and lucern, will be found invaluable.
attrib.1676Lond. Gaz. No. 1073/4 Pure Trefoile and Santfine Seed. 1733Tull Horse-hoeing Husb. xiv. 195 Cut off the St. Foin Heads an Handful deep. 1764Museum Rust. I. 465 Saintfoin hay is excellent food for horses. 1792A. Young Trav. France I. 357 A considerable portion of these calcareous districts should be thrown into sainfoin courses. 1805R. W. Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 350 Old saintfoin lays. 1902Cornish Nat. on Thames 174 The crimson of stray sainfoin clusters. |