Vegetative

a. and sb. Also 5 vegetatiff, -tyf(f, 6 -ife, 6–7 -iue; 6 vegitatiue, 8 -ive. [ad. med.L. vegetāt-īvus, f. the ppl. stem of L. vegetāre VEGETATE v.: see -IVE. So F. végétatif (13th c.), Sp., Pg., It. vegetativo.]

  A.  adj. 1. Having the function of vegetation; endowed with the power or faculty of growth.

  a.  Of the soul. (Cf. SENSITIVE a. 1.)

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R. (W. de W., 1495), III. xiii. Þe [soule] vegetatyf desyryth to be,… & the resonable soule desyreth to [be] best.

1433.  Lydg., St. Edmund, App. 334. Quyk lyk a soule moore than vegetatyff.

1531.  Elyot, Gov., III. xxiv. The one [part of the soul], wherin is the powar or efficacie of growinge, which is also in herbes and trees…, & that parte is callen vegetatife.

1594.  T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 338. That order, which God hath set betweene the vertues of the Vegetatiue soule for the nourishing of the bodie.

1609.  Bible (Douay), Gen. vi. comm. The powre or force to engender belongeth to the vegetative soul.

1659.  Gentl. Calling (1696), 9. As we distinguish mens souls into the vegetative, the animal, and the rational.

1692.  Ray, Creation, I. (ed. 2), 40. For my part, I should make no scruple to attribute the Formation of Plants, their growth and nutrition to the vegetative Soul in them.

1725.  [see SOUL sb. 5 (a)].

1808.  Barclay, Muscular Motions, 262. The ancient Δυναμεις, the ministers of Physis, were classed by Plato under three souls, the rational, animal, and vegetative.

1879.  Tyndall, Fragm. Sci., II. xi. 243. How … is this vegetative soul to be presented to the mind? where did it flourish before the tree grew?

  b.  Of material things; in later use esp. of plants or parts of these.

1497.  Norton, Ord. Alch., i. in Ashm. (1652), 20. Also nothing multiplyed shall ye finde, But it be of Vegetative or of Sensitive kinde.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 357 b/1. Alle thyngys obeyed to this holy man as well thynges not sensible as vegetatyf and not resonable.

1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXII. (1555), N iv b. Herbes and fruytes … In erthe he planted for to haue their life By diuers vertues and sundry growing, so to continue and be vegitatiue.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, XVII. xxi. This marrow, this vegetative and vitall substance.

1613.  trans. Mexia’s Treas. Aunc. & Mod. Times, 32. The vegetative Bodies; as Plants, Trees, and such like.

1670.  Moral State Eng., 5. None but sensitive and vegetative Creatures pursue the primitive end of their institutions.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 100, ¶ 2. The indolent Man descends from the Dignity of his Nature, and makes that Being which was Rational merely Vegetative.

1796.  Bp. Watson, Apol. Bible, 318. Somewhat after the way of your vegetative speck in the kernel of a peach.

1812.  Miss L. M. Hawkins, C’tess & Gertr., I. 262. The vegetative adhesions [to books] of the undisturbed damp.

1853.  G. Johnston, Nat. Hist. E. Bord., I. 220. A very common weed, and so vegetative and retentive of life that it requires much labour … to clear the lands infested with it.

1880.  C. & F. Darwin, Movem. Pl., 523. When a new root-cap and vegetative point had been formed, they bent themselves perpendicularly downwards.

  fig.  1782.  Paine, Lett. Abbé Raynel (1791), 40. The mind is presented with a wide extended prospect of vegetative good, and sees a thousand blessings budding into existence.

  † c.  Vegetative stone, = VEGETABLE a. 1 d. Obs.^–1

c. 1450.  Lydg. & Burgh, Secrees, 531. Of stoonys, Specially of three—Oon myneral, Anothir vegetatyff, Partyd on foure to length a mannys lyff.

  d.  spec. in Phys. and Bot. Concerned with growth and development, as opposed to reproductive.

  (a)  1857.  Bullock, trans. Cazeaux’s Midwifery, 172. One has been called the external, or serous layer, and the other is denominated the internal, mucous, or the vegetative one.

1891.  W. A. Jamieson, Dis. Skin, i. (ed. 3), 5. The deepest layer of all is the vegetative or mucous proper.

1909.  J. W. Jenkinson, Exper. Embryol., 245. A blastopore is in very numerous cases formed at the vegetative pole.

  (b)  1875.  Bennett & Dyer, trans. Sachs’s Bot., 117. A conical elongation … distinguished as the Vegetative Cone.

1882.  Vines, trans. Sachs’s Bot., 246. The multiplication of individuals being effected by the separation of the ordinary vegetative cells.

1884.  Bower & Scott, De Bary’s Phaner., Introd. 2. Under the term vegetative organs we include all those organs of the plant which are not organs of reproduction. Ibid., 282. In the main vegetative axes of L[ycopodium] clavatum and L. annotinum.

  2.  Of or pertaining to, concerned or connected with, characterized by, vegetation or growth.

  a.  Of faculty, power, principle, etc.

  c. 1400.  trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 96. Þe wirkynge of þis last [virtue], (þat þe Auctour clepys vegetatyf, & I here strenght sustantyf).

c. 1430.  Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 196. To tempre the spiritis by vertu vegetatiff.

  1606.  Bryskett, Civ. Life, 44. This power of the soule … is called vegetatiue (you must giue me leaue to vse new words of Art …) because it giueth life and increase to growing things.

1636.  Featly, Clavis Myst., xi. 143. The sensitive faculty includeth the vegetative.

1653.  W. Ramesey, Astrologie Restored, 215. All things decay and diminish in their vegetative vigour.

1712.  Hughes, Spect., No. 554, ¶ 12. The Soul has in this Respect a certain vegetative Power, which cannot lie wholly idle.

1791.  Cowper, Yardley Oak, 34. Thou fell’st mature, and in the loamy clod Swelling with vegetative force instinct Didst burst thine egg.

1802.  Gouvr. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), III. 161. There is a vigorous vegetative principle at the root which will make our tree flourish.

a. 1871.  Grote, Eth. Fragm., v. (1876), 178. Of the irrational soul, one branch is, the nutritive and vegetative faculty.

1874.  Blackie, Self-Cult., 41. This growth is a constant and habitual exercise of vital or vegetative force.

  b.  Of life.

1567.  Maplet, Gr. Forest, 25 b. For in them is the life vegetatiue or that life which nourisheth.

1598.  Barckley, Felic. Man (1631), 288. In naturall things there are three kindes of life: vegetative or increasing which is in plants; sensitive which is in beasts; rationall or reasonable which is in men.

1600.  Surflet, Countrie Farme, I. ix. 47. The Sunne … giueth vnto earthly bodies their forme and vegetatiue life.

1678.  Norris, Miscell. (1699), 251. In Rationals [there is] Vegetative Life, Sense and Reason.

1726.  Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 5/2. Plants, Seeds, and every thing else that has the vegetative Life.

1729.  Savage, Wanderer, IV. 124. Hail, glorious sun! to whose attractive fires, The waken’d, vegetative life aspires!

1835–6.  Todd’s Cycl. Anat., I. 126/2. The nerves of organic or vegetative life.

1867.  J. Hogg, Microsc., II. i. 259. The whole vegetative life is run through in the same cell.

1870.  Rolleston, Anim. Life, 1. Common Rat,… dissected so as to show … portions of most of the organs of vegetative life.

  c.  In general use.

1594.  Plat, Jewell-ho., II. 16. To proue that salt is no enemie, either to the vegetatiue, or sensatiue natures.

1647.  H. More, Poems, Interpret. Gen. 432. That immense diffusion of atoms is to be referred to Psyche, as an internall vegetative act.

1683.  Tryon, Way to Health, 130. [In] Winter … the Vegitative Quality stands as it were still.

1762.  J. H. Stevenson, Crazy Tales (1780), 8.

1782–3.  W. F. Martyn, Geog. Mag., II. 147. Olives and mulberries arrive at full vegetative perfection.

1836.  J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., iv. (1852), 93. A survey of the minute action of vegetative energies.

1880.  Haughton, Phys. Geogr., vi. 301. The Europasian Forest region is characterized by a pretty uniform temperature during the vegetative season.

  3.  Causing or promoting vegetation; inducing vegetable growth; productive, fertile.

1594.  Plat, Jewell-ho., II. 3. A Philosophicall discourse … vpon the vegetatiue and fructifying Salt of Nature.

1612.  Peacham, Gentl. Exerc., II. iii. (1634), 114. The vegetative humour or moisture that quickeneth and giveth life to trees, plants, herbs and flowers, whereby they grow and increase.

1675.  Evelyn, Terra (1729), 317. Composts … are by no means fit for the Earth,… unless … so order’d as … to … communicate heat, and vegetative Spirits to what you shall apply them.

1707.  Mortimer, Husb. (1721), I. 98. Fullers-earth is … very full of that vegetative Salt that helps the growth of Plants.

1782.  Crevecœur, Lett., 50. In Europe they were as so many useless plants, wanting vegitative mould, and refreshing showers.

1834.  Brit. Husb., I. 360. The vegetative mould which covers the earth in all situations undisturbed by the plough.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., xviii. (1856), 138. The question whether unmixed snow can act as a vegetative matrix.

  † 4.  Obtained or derived from, consisting of, vegetables or plants. Obs. rare.

1662.  R. Mathew, Unl. Alch., 2. This pill is a Corrector of all Vegetative poysons.

1691.  Tryon, Wisd. Dictates, 110. All Vegetative Foods are not only wholsom, but easily concocted.

  5.  = VEGETABLE a. 3.

1677.  Plot, Oxfordsh., 175. Having done with the Vegetative, I proceed to the Animal Kingdom.

1695.  Ld. Preston, Boeth., III. 144. I, casting an Eye upon the Vegetative World, consider Herbs and Trees.

1722.  Wollaston, Relig. Nat., ix. 209. I think I may be sure that neither lifeless matter, nor the vegetative tribe,… have any reflex thoughts.

1772–84.  Cook’s Voy. (1790), I. 39. In regard to the vegetative and brute creation.

1859.  I. Taylor, Logic Theol., 44. The living world, vegetative and animal.

  6.  fig. Vegetating; inactive.

1802.  Mrs. E. Parsons, Myst. Visit, IV. 74. In this vegetative state of happiness you found me.

  b.  Path. Characterized by the exercise or activity of the physical functions only.

1884.  Morning Post, 4 Aug., 2/2. Even amongst those who must be classed as idiots, there were very varying degrees, ranging from an almost vegetative state up to only one remove from the normal state.

1893.  Daily News, 25 April, 5/4. He is in what his doctor calls a vegetative state, and incapable of connecting two ideas together.

1899.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 196. Idiots of vegetative grade. Ibid., 237. This girl led a vegetative life, but learnt to recognize those around her.

  B.  sb. † 1. Vegetative faculty or power. rare.

1605.  Timme, Quersit., I. xiv. 68. In vegetables there were only those vegetatiues; which, in beastes, beside the vegetation which they retain,… become also sensatiue.

  † 2.  An organic body capable of growth and development but devoid of sensation and thought; a vegetable or plant. Obs.

1634.  W. Wood, New Eng. Prosp., I. vi. Having related unto you the … nature of the Soile, with his vegetatives, and other commodities.

a. 1668.  Feltham, Resolves, I. xxviii. (1677), 152. Even Plants, which are but Vegetatives, will not grow in Caues, where the … Air is barred from them.

1668.  Clarendon, Ess., Tracts (1727), 93. We live rather the Life of Vegetatives or Sensitives … than the lives of reasonable men.

1712.  E. Cooke, Voy. S. Sea, 210. Having run over the living Creatures and Vegetatives.

1764.  in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 372. We are vegetatives formed by education.

  Hence Vegetatively adv., Vegetativeness.

1886.  Encycl. Brit., XX. 431/2. In some instances the one generation may spring *vegetatively from the other without the intervention of a spore.

1905.  Brit. Med. Jrnl., 25 Feb., 442. They develop into one of the three following forms all of which can reproduce themselves vegetatively.

1727.  Bailey (vol. II.), *Vegetativeness, a vegetative Quality.

1889.  Geddes & Thomson, Evol. Sex, 48. Superior constitutional vegetativeness in the females [of Lychnis].