rhabdomancyn.

1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica v. xxi. 271 A..peculiar way of Rhabdomancy is that which is used in Minerall discoveries, that is, with a forked hazell.

a1657 G. Daniel Trinarchodia: Richard II cxxxv, in Poems (1878) III. 170 The Hassle soe will bend (A Rhadomoncie was observ'd of old) Stretch'd on the Earth, vnto a Mine of Gold.

1692 J. Edwards Farther Enq. Old & New Test. 290 They made use of this Rhabdomancy which was so frequent among the Pagans.

1728 E. Chambers Cycl. Rhabdomancy, an antient Method of Divination, perform'd by means of Rods.

1789 D. Webb tr. C. de Pauw Select. Les Recherches Philosophiques 197 Rabdomancy is the favourite superstition of the Chinese, in consequence of its being adopted and promoted by Confucius.

1817 Edinb. Rev. 28 184 (note) The doctrines of Rabdomancy still retain their ground in various parts of the Continent.

1856 T. De Quincey Confessions Eng. Opium-eater (rev. ed.) in Select. Grave & Gay V. 85 Whatever science or scepticism may say, most of the tea-kettles in the vale of Wrington are filled by rhabdomancy.

1871 E. B. Tylor Primitive Culture I. iv. (heading) Rhabdomancy, Dactyliomancy, Coscinomancy.

1902 Gardeners' Chron. 30 Aug. 149/3 Rhabdomancy attaches virtue, not to the idiosyncrasy of the water-finder, but to the forked Hazel-twig he carries.

1976 Worcester (Mass.) Telegram 10 Sept. 7/1 The formal term for dowsing is rhabdomancy. In Arkansas—but probably not in Danville, Vt.—..it is also known as witch-wiggling.

2007 G. C. Milnes Signs, Cures & Witchery xvi. 133 Water witching (rhabdomancy) is very common in West Virginia.

1718 D. Defoe Contin. Lett. Written by Turkish Spy iii. 292 This Rabdomantick Art, or divining by Rods, I thought had been dropt out of the World.

1846 A. T. Thomson tr. E. Salverte Occult Sci. I. viii. 193 The Rhabdomantic art was practiced among the Alani and the Scythians.

1926 Folk-lore 37 131 The word was then used in reference to rhabdomantic and magical practices.

2003 A. Bühlmann in T. Klutz Magic in Biblical World 60 It would seem excessive to interpret the term ‘tree’..in the sense of ‘magic stick’..and to see in it an allusion to rhabdomantic activity when the context deals solely with natural phenomena and not those produced by humans.

1832 Encycl. Americana XI. 9/1 The different sensations of different rhabdomantists, are taken into account.

1856 T. De Quincey Confessions Eng. Opium-eater (rev. ed.) in Select. Grave & Gay V. 85 The remedy is—to call in a set of local rhabdomantists. These men traverse the adjacent ground, holding the willow rod horizontally.

1895 Guernsey Soc. Nat. Sci. Rep. & Trans. 1894 317 The President warmly thanked Mr. Mellish for having favoured them with his experience as a rhabdomantist.

2001 D. Stuart No Visible Means of Support 110 The picture of himself as a rhabdomantist at this dry altitude made him chuckle.