a. Now rare. Also 7 veget, vegit. [ad. L. vegetus, f. vegēre to be active or lively. Cf. It. and Pg. vegeto, obs. F. vejete (Cotgr.).]
1. Healthy and active; flourishing in respect of health and vigor: a. Of persons, the body, etc.
1639. W. Cartwright, Roy. Slave, III. i. The veget Artist and the vigorous Poet, whose braines are full and forging still.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., I. 22. Even her body was made aëry and vegete.
1670. Maynwaring, Vita Sana, vii. 85. Active stirring people are … more vegete and lively in spirit.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), III. 350. His face was always tinted with a fresh colour, and his looks vegete and sanguine.
1774. J. Bryant, Mythol., II. 361. That animal … was supposed to renew its life, and to become … vegete and fresh.
1870. Lowell, Study Wind., 380. If I forgot that ample and vegete countenance of Mr. R—.
b. Of age, condition, etc.
1651. Jer. Taylor, Holy Dying, iv. § 1. He had lived an healthful and vegete Age till his last sickness.
1665. Needham, Med. Medicinæ, 401. That florid Vegete vigorous condition which ought to be in the less Vegete, or the Valetudinary state of Bodies.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., VI. 230. He that is of a firm habit of body, and has a vegete heat.
c. Of the faculties, mind, etc.
1660. South, Serm. (1727), IV. i. 21. A well radicated habit, in a lively, vegete Faculty, is like an Apple of Gold in a Picture of Silver. Ibid. (1662), (1697), I. 55. The understanding … was vegete, quick, and lively.
1727. Earbery, trans. Burnet’s St. Dead, 84. Before the organical Construction of the Body is impair’d, and the Spirits are vegete and vigorous.
1769. Granger, Biogr. Hist. Eng. (1804), II. 155. His body was firm and erect, and his faculties lively and vegete.
1846. J. Hamilton, Mount Olives, v. 126. If you would possess such a mind you must keep it fresh and vegete and lifesome by secret prayer.
2. Of plants or their parts: Healthy, vigorous; growing strongly or promoting active growth.
1651. R. Child, in Hartlib’s Legacy (1655), 106. This be a very necessary management in taller Plants, and serves to make them much more vegete and lusty.
1670. Phil. Trans., V. 2069. Whether the Juyce of Trees, whil’st alive and vegete, can properly be said … to descend.
1756. T. Amory, J. Buncle (1825), II. 120. Active in sending the vegete juices through the vessels of all plants.
1794–6. E. Darwin, Zoon. (1801), I. 137. There are many trees, whose whole internal wood is perished, and yet the branches are vegete and healthy. Ibid. (1800), Phytol., 167. Because the lower leaf dies, and the sweet juice is absorbed, as the upper leaf becomes vegete.
transf. 1653. Ashwell, Fides Apost., 189. The Nicene Creed,… by this meanes become vegete and growen, was afterwards used in the Greeke Church.
† 3. Lively, bright. Obs.–1
a. 1643. Cartwright, Ordinary, IV. iii. In troth a stone of lustre, I assure you It darts a pretty light, a veget spark.
Hence Vegeteness.
1727. Bailey (vol. II.), Vegeteness, Liveliness, Quickness, Soundness, the Quality of having a growing Life.
