Now dial. [OE. wyllecærse, -cerse: see WELL sb.1 and CRESS.] Water-cress, Nasturtium officinale.

1

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., I. 140. Seoð mid wylle cærsan [L. cum fæno græco].

2

c. 1000.  Ags. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 298/16. Fenegrecio, wyllecerse.

3

1393.  Langland, P. Pl., C. VII. 292. Ȝut were me leuere … lyue by welle-carse(s) Þan haue my fode and my fyndynge of false menne wynnynges.

4

14[?].  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 597/24. Nasturcium, walcarse. Ibid., 712/17. Hoc nastucium, welcresse.

5

1597.  in Spalding Club Misc. (1841), I. 105. Sche commandit the said Johne … to eat valcarss.

6

1808.  Jamieson, Well-kerses, water-cresses, called also wall- or well-grass.

7

1894.  Northumbld. Gloss., s.v. Kars, Watter-kars, water-cress; also called well-karses.

8